‘US State Department Is No Trump’
An award-winning American columist says US State Department officials should never consider second careers in real estate now that “Chelston” — former residence of America’s Consul General in Bermuda — is back on the market for four times what Washington bureaucrats made when they sold the beachfront property.
In his “Inside The Loop” column today [Feb.8], “Washington Post” columnist gently Al Kamen pokes gentle fun at a State Department he says “is no Donald Trump” when it comes to the art of the deal.
Mr. Kamen writes: “Back in 1999, we bitterly opposed the sale of the spectacular ‘Chelston’ estate, the residence of the US Consul General in Bermuda. ‘The absolutely perfect diplomatic appointment, the one we’ve dreamed of for years, is about to be diminished forever’, we wrote then.
“The job requires no heavy lifting – Bermuda’s population is less than 70,000 — and you don’t need to be confirmed by the Senate.
“Sure, you’re not going to be called ‘Mr. Ambassador’ or be able to use ‘The honorable’ before your name — although some people do.
“Even so, mega-contributors such as Bob Farmer — a former Democratic National Committee finance chairman — have coveted the post for years, in part because of the splendor of the seaside manse: a 10,000-square-foot main house with three guest cottages and a staff cottage — 15 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms in all.
“You get private beaches, terraced gardens, amazing water views and a huge swimming pool on the 14-acre estate. Did we mention the wood-burning pizza oven?
“And the only thing you’ve got to do is throw a Fourth of July party and invite about 3,000 people. Must be a big oven.”
The sprawling beachfront Paget property was gifted to the US in the 1960s in lieu of back taxes owed by former owner, California oil baron Carbon Petroleum Dubbs.
“But, in a fit of budgetary zeal, the State Department sold it anyway, for a lousy $12 million, and moved the consul general to a virtual bungalow in town with no views,” said Mr. Kamen.
With Chelston now back on the market with a $45 million price tag, attached, Mr. Kamen said the State Department should heed his advice on such matters in the future.
“Nearly four times what the State Department sold it for? Next time maybe they’ll listen,” he said. “Probably not.”
Mr. Kamen, who has worked at the “Washington Post” since 1980, launched the “In the Loop” column in 1993.
He assisted “Washington Post” investigative reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in writing “The Final Days”, their bestselling book about the end of the Nixon Presidency in 1974, and Mr. Woodward and Scott Armstrong in writing “The Brethren,” an inside look at the workings of the US Supreme Court.
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