Mark Penn [3] runs the labor-busting PR giant Burson-Marsteller [4] and is the top strategist and pollster for Hillary Clinton [5]'s campaign [6] for president. His mixed loyalties have been a continuing image problem [7] for Clinton, to the degree his conflicts makes the news.

The Wall Street Journal first reported, on April 4, [8] that Penn had "met with Colombia [9]'s ambassador to the U.S. on Monday to discuss a bilateral free-trade agreement [10], a pact the presidential candidate (Clinton) opposes." Burson-Marsteller "has a contract with the South American nation to promote congressional [11] approval of the trade deal."

The New York Times later noted that Penn apologized [12] for his conflict of loyalty saying "the meeting was an error in judgment." But that was not enough. Saturday, April 5, Colombia fired Penn [13] (and B-M his company) for his embarrassing bumbling. Still, Hillary Clinton is sticking by her man Mark - for now.