U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, married S. Donald Sussman, a Wall Street financier and philanthropist, Saturday in a private ceremony at the couple’s home in North Haven, according to her office.
The Rev. Dave Macy, the island minister, performed the wedding ceremony.
Additional Photos
The topic of Pingree’s engagement to Sussman became public fodder during the 2010 1st Congressional District campaign when it emerged that Pingree was flying on a private jet owned by Sussman.
Before she was elected to Congress in 2008, Pingree was critical of lawmakers’ use of private and corporate jets when she was president of the advocacy group Common Cause.
Pingree received criticism from Republicans for traveling between Maine and Washington aboard a 2007 Dassault Falcon 200EX jet owned by Sussman.
However, Pingree said she was Sussman’s fiancee, and the U.S. House ethics committee ruled that her flights aboard his jet were permitted because the couple were engaged.
Pingree, 56, met Sussman in 2007 on Vinalhaven Island and they were engaged in 2008, according to her office.
The couple married Saturday morning in front of their children, and announced the marriage Saturday night at a barn party attended by friends for Sussman’s 65th birthday, according to a news release by Pingree’s office Sunday morning.
They have both been married once previously.
MaineToday Media Washington Bureau Chief Jonathan Riskind can be contacted at:
jriskind@mainetoday.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
