Further investigation into President Obama's nominees has revealed a serious conflict of interest with the man nominated for the number two position at the Pentagon.
William Lynn III, nominated by President Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for the
position of Deputy Secretary of Defense, until very recently held the top lobbying position for Raytheon.
This discovery came only a day after the President Obama announced strict guidelines prohibiting lobbyists from serving in his administration. However, a loop hole deliberately left in the executive order allows waivers to let some former lobbyists take positions.
While visiting with the White House Press Corps Thursday night a reporter quickly asked President Obama about the contradiction of policy that Lynn's nomination represents. Obama appeared irritated, and patting the reporter repeatedly on the shoulder, said, "Ahh, see...I came down here to visit. See this is what happens. I can't end up visiting with you guys and shaking hands if I'm going to get grilled every time I come down here."
Under standards of ethics of the Obama Administration, former Lobbyists must recuse themselves during any discussion or issue that affects the organization or company they used to lobby for. With Raytheon being one of the five largest defense contractors in the United States, this could be a problem for Lynn.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs commented on the situation in a statement, saying, "Even the toughest rules require reasonable exceptions. Our waiver provisions are designed to allow uniquely qualified individuals like...Bill Lynn to serve the public interest in these critical times."
The nomination has been met with raised eyebrows from members of congress and Watch groups like Project on Government oversight have offered a different opinion than that of the White House. "If he [Lynn] recuses himself from anything to do with Raytheon, he can't be the No. 2 at the Pentagon," said Danielle Brian, the organization's executive director. "While people are serving [in government], they shouldn't have dual loyalties."
Lynn himself has stated that he will uphold the Obama Administration's standards of ethics. "On coming back into the department, there are equally strict ethics procedures on what issues I can handle and what issues I can't," Lynn said. "I will be working with the general counsel's office to ensure I follow those ethics procedures completely."
Sources:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17831.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/obama.defense/index.html
http://www.insidegnss.com/node/1100
www.formyourown.org
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