Lidinsky Nominated to FMC

Richard A. Lidinsky Jr. has been nominated to fill a position on the Federal Maritime Commission, the White House announced late Tuesday.

Lidinsky has been in private practice as an attorney and international trade consultant for the past three years, according to the White House, but has had a 35-year career in the maritime industry.

After graduation from the University of Maryland in 1972, Lidinsky began his career at the FMC, serving as a legislative counsel in the general counsel’s office from 1973 to 1975.

The Maryland Port Administration named him director of tariffs and national port affairs in 1975. He also served as counsel to the port until 1985, when he was recruited by Sea Containers Ltd. to work as vice president of government affairs in Washington. He left the company in 2006.

Lidinsky has a record of political contributions, mostly to Maryland Democratic candidates, dating from 1996, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In the 2008 election, he contributed $250 to Rep. Elijah Cummings and $500 to Rep. John Sarbanes.

Lidinsky also contributed to the campaigns of past members of Congress, including Rep. Helen Delich Bently, R-Md., Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., and Sen. John Warner, R-Va. Some of the contributions were in the name of Sea Containers, according to the center.

Lidinsky is the third Marylander with close ties to the transportation industry appointed to a senior position in the Obama administration. John Porcari, former Maryland secretary of transportation, is now deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Anne Ferro, former head of Maryland’s motor vehicle administration, has been nominated to head the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Contact R.G. Edmonson at bedmonson@joc.com.