Monday, April 5, 2010
Senator Chuck Grassley today made the following comment regarding the release of the first report on the President's Executive Order on Ethics.
On January 21, 2009, President Obama issued an Executive Order that prohibited former lobbyists from serving in his Administration, or recuse themselves from work they did as a lobbyist. However, the Executive Order included a loophole that allowed former lobbyists to obtain a waiver or recusal allowing them to circumvent the revolving door ban. White House staff said the use of the waiver or recusal would be limited and transparent. After questions from Grassley, White House staff said that the waivers and recusals for lobbyists would be in a year-end report from the Office of Government Ethics.
A copy of the report can be found on the Office of Government Ethics' website: http://www.usoge.gov/directors_corner/reports/rpt_exorder13490.pdf .
Here is Grassley's statement.
"This administration's promise that lobbyists would not have a place in the executive branch is losing credibility. The report from the Office of Government Ethics shed some sunlight on how many lobbyists were appointed, contradicts the prior statements that lobbyists weren't welcome in the administration, and outlines that the administration has welcomed lobbyists through waiver, recusal and even no check at all. It's this type of double-talk that breeds cynicism and distrust at the grassroots."
