by emad » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:10 pm
The Associated Press<br>Friday, July 29, 2005; 7:41 PM<br><br>WASHINGTON -- President Bush has chosen a Florida businessman and major Republican fundraiser to be ambassador of the Vatican.<br><br>The White House announced on Friday that Bush is nominating Laurence Francis Rooney, chairman and chief executive officer of Rooney Holdings Inc., which contributed $250,000 to help underwrite the 2004 inauguration.<br><br> <br>Rooney, who must be confirmed by the Senate, also was a major fundraiser for Bush, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for both of his campaigns for president.<br><br>Rooney Holdings, based in Naples, Fla., is an investment company primarily dealing with construction and distributing building materials. Rooney previously was president of Manhattan Construction Co., a subsidiary of Rooney Holdings.<br><br>Rooney would replace Jim Nicholson, now secretary of veteran affairs.<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/29/AR2005072901695.html">www.washingtonpost.com/wp...01695.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br> <p></p><i></i>
