Today's Article
The waivers exempt
appointees from
Obama's 'revolving
door' and conflict of
interest restrictions.
appointees from
Obama's 'revolving
door' and conflict of
interest restrictions.
The American Spark
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Obama Administration Quietly Discloses Ethics Waivers
By Cliff Montgomery - Nov. 4th, 2009
The Obama Administration has granted some form of waiver to the president's famed Ethics Pledge for
seventeen appointees.
The waivers exempt the appointees from Obama's 'revolving door' and conflict of interest restrictions, which
were made law by Executive Order on January 21st, 2009.
Eleven waivers have been granted by Executive agencies. They went to:
Herbert Allison, who now is responsible for oversight of the U.S. government's $700 billion bank bailout. Allison
formerly was president and CEO of Fannie Mae.
"Mr. Allison is not in a position to personally benefit from his Fannie Mae relationship," states Allison's ethics
waiver, dated Sept. 16th, 2009.
"Mr. Allison has no pecuniary interest in Fannie Mae other than a life insurance policy under which Fannie Mae
will pay premiums for four more years pursuant to a standard Fannie Mae agreement," states the waiver.
"Mr. Allison was not otherwise compensated by Fannie Mae, and declined to accept a salary," adds the waiver.
Charles Bolden, current NASA administrator, who previously served as a director of GenCorp and as a
consultant to SAIC. GenCorp provides the government with aerospace and defense technology; SAIC
provides scientific and engineering systems.
Lanny Breuer, Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department, has been granted a waiver regarding the
federal government's case against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK).
Ash Carter, current Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, had been a
consultant to Textron, Inc.
Carter's advice to Textron "focused on merger and acquisition matters for Textron's corporate headquarters,
trends in military technology and strategy, and how and where military platforms and weapon systems could be
deployed effectively in Department of Defense theaters of operation," states the waiver.
Eric Holder, now the U.S. Attorney General, has been granted a waiver regarding the federal government's
case against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK).
David Ogden, Deputy Attorney General of the Justice Dept., also has been granted a waiver regarding the
federal government's case against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK).
Philip Reitinger is the Deputy Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate and Director
of the National Cybersecurity Center, which are within the Homeland Security Department.
"Philip R. Reitinger shall not be restricted from participating in any particular matter involving specific parties
that is directly and substantially related to his former employer Microsoft Corporation," declares the May 19th
waiver.
Margot Rogers, now Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Education, "shall not be restricted from participating
in any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to her former employer,
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation," states Rogers' March 23rd waiver.
James Shelton now is the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement in the Education
Department. Shelton received the same essential waiver as Margot Rogers, as he too once worked for the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Shelton's April waiver, in fact, originally was made out for Rogers; her name is crossed out of the official
document's title, and Shelton's name was quickly written above hers as a quick fix.
Naomi Walker now is Associate Deputy Secretary of the Labor Department. Her waiver allows her to deal with
"any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to her former employer,
the AFL-CIO."
Aaron Williams perhaps has been granted the least worrisome waiver. Williams currently is the Director of the
National Peace Corps Association. He previously had served on the Peace Corps board of directors.
On Aug. 24th, Williams was granted "a limited waiver" allowing him "to participate in or speak at meetings and
conferences or other events involving or hosted by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) or its
leadership, including fundraising events," albeit with certain conditions.
To be fair, all administration waivers involve paragraph 2 of Obama's ethics pledge--not his lobbying provision.
"That is, they permit certain Executive Branch appointees to work on particular matters that may involve
persons with which the appointees formerly had a professional relationship because there was a compelling
public interest in allowing it," claims a Sept. 4th White House Blog post.
Though it's not talked about as much, the White House itself has allowed six additional ethics pledge waivers.
They went to:
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By Cliff Montgomery - Nov. 4th, 2009
The Obama Administration has granted some form of waiver to the president's famed Ethics Pledge for
seventeen appointees.
The waivers exempt the appointees from Obama's 'revolving door' and conflict of interest restrictions, which
were made law by Executive Order on January 21st, 2009.
Eleven waivers have been granted by Executive agencies. They went to:
Herbert Allison, who now is responsible for oversight of the U.S. government's $700 billion bank bailout. Allison
formerly was president and CEO of Fannie Mae.
"Mr. Allison is not in a position to personally benefit from his Fannie Mae relationship," states Allison's ethics
waiver, dated Sept. 16th, 2009.
"Mr. Allison has no pecuniary interest in Fannie Mae other than a life insurance policy under which Fannie Mae
will pay premiums for four more years pursuant to a standard Fannie Mae agreement," states the waiver.
"Mr. Allison was not otherwise compensated by Fannie Mae, and declined to accept a salary," adds the waiver.
Charles Bolden, current NASA administrator, who previously served as a director of GenCorp and as a
consultant to SAIC. GenCorp provides the government with aerospace and defense technology; SAIC
provides scientific and engineering systems.
Lanny Breuer, Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department, has been granted a waiver regarding the
federal government's case against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK).
Ash Carter, current Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, had been a
consultant to Textron, Inc.
Carter's advice to Textron "focused on merger and acquisition matters for Textron's corporate headquarters,
trends in military technology and strategy, and how and where military platforms and weapon systems could be
deployed effectively in Department of Defense theaters of operation," states the waiver.
Eric Holder, now the U.S. Attorney General, has been granted a waiver regarding the federal government's
case against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK).
David Ogden, Deputy Attorney General of the Justice Dept., also has been granted a waiver regarding the
federal government's case against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK).
Philip Reitinger is the Deputy Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate and Director
of the National Cybersecurity Center, which are within the Homeland Security Department.
"Philip R. Reitinger shall not be restricted from participating in any particular matter involving specific parties
that is directly and substantially related to his former employer Microsoft Corporation," declares the May 19th
waiver.
Margot Rogers, now Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Education, "shall not be restricted from participating
in any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to her former employer,
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation," states Rogers' March 23rd waiver.
James Shelton now is the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement in the Education
Department. Shelton received the same essential waiver as Margot Rogers, as he too once worked for the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Shelton's April waiver, in fact, originally was made out for Rogers; her name is crossed out of the official
document's title, and Shelton's name was quickly written above hers as a quick fix.
Naomi Walker now is Associate Deputy Secretary of the Labor Department. Her waiver allows her to deal with
"any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to her former employer,
the AFL-CIO."
Aaron Williams perhaps has been granted the least worrisome waiver. Williams currently is the Director of the
National Peace Corps Association. He previously had served on the Peace Corps board of directors.
On Aug. 24th, Williams was granted "a limited waiver" allowing him "to participate in or speak at meetings and
conferences or other events involving or hosted by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) or its
leadership, including fundraising events," albeit with certain conditions.
To be fair, all administration waivers involve paragraph 2 of Obama's ethics pledge--not his lobbying provision.
"That is, they permit certain Executive Branch appointees to work on particular matters that may involve
persons with which the appointees formerly had a professional relationship because there was a compelling
public interest in allowing it," claims a Sept. 4th White House Blog post.
Though it's not talked about as much, the White House itself has allowed six additional ethics pledge waivers.
They went to:
- Jocelyn Frye, Director of Policy and Projects in the Office of the First Lady;
- Cecilia Muñoz, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Executive Office of the President;
- William Lynn, Deputy Secretary of Defense;
- Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President;
- Jonathan Kravis, Associate Counsel, White House Counsel’s Office;
- Chris Weideman, Associate Counsel, White House Counsel’s Office.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
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