Obama names Raytheon lobbyist for defense post

[balantz]

Obama names Raytheon lobbyist for defense post

By Rita Beamish and Anne Gearn

The Associated Press

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.09.2009
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/275119


WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama appointed a Raytheon Co. lobbyist Thursday to become the No. 2 official at the Defense Department, acknowledging that his choice appeared to break with his self-imposed rules to keep lobbyists at arm's length.

William J. Lynn III, Obama's choice for deputy defense secretary, is a former Pentagon official who now is senior vice president for government operations at Raytheon Co. Lynn hasn't been a registered lobbyist since July, meaning he can't personally lobby Congress or the White House. In the first three months of 2008, his lobbying team reported spending $1.15 million to influence issues, including missiles, sensors and radar, advanced-technology programs and intelligence funding.

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Some government watchdogs questioned the revolving-door aspect of Lynn's appointment even while acknowledging his qualifications.

"He left public service and went into lobbying for one of the largest defense contractors in the nation. And that's the part that's troubling," said Bill Buzenberg, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity. "Even if he's completely aboveboard and ethical, it raises questions about his loyalty."

During his presidential campaign, Obama took pains to tell voters he wouldn't tolerate influence-peddling. "I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over," Obama said in November 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa.

It will be difficult for Lynn to avoid defense issues related to Raytheon, said James Thurber, who teaches lobbying at American University.

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[babylonsister]

1. What part of 'former' lobbyist does the AP not understand. BS headline,

but what's new.

[RC]

6. It's only been 6 months.

Me thinks the lying starting already and Obama hasn't even been sworn in yet.

I thought I voted for a DNC Democrat. Guess not.

[babylonsister]

7. That still doesn't answer the question of why the AP is lying.

And iirc you've never been a fan, so I'm not surprised.

[RC]

8. I was when I voted for Obama.

But he has slid too far to the right since then... And still going.

[waiting for hope]

9. What part of this apparently doesn't bother you?

Barack Obama, who during his campaign promised to lessen the influence of lobbyists in Washington, chose William J. Lynn III as his deputy secretary of defense at the Pentagon. Lynn just happens to be a senior vice president in charge of lobbying with Raytheon. Raytheon in turn just happens to have billions of dollars in Pentagon contracts and is the maker of the Army’s Patriot Missile system and the Navy Tomahawk missile. Raytheon is also developing a global positioning satellite communication system for the Air Force. Lynn’s new post would involve him in the process of budgeting and acquisitions.

~Snip~

Now Obama is about to take office. Of course we do not need to fear any lobbyists being in charge of the Pentagon. It isn’t as if the Pentagon does favors for the war industries. And we all know the Pentagon would never give out contracts to any of it buddies in the private sector. Just ask people like Dick Cheney. Halliburton got all those contracts during the Bush regime because it was the best company for the job. Sure a few hundred billion seemed to have been wasted by the Department of Defense, but what is a few bucks between friends.

http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5294:this-is-change&catid=117:homepage&Itemid=289#addcomments

Wow, just keep apologizing and defending. Are we not allowed to question Obama's picks?

[Two Americas]

12. revolving door

The problem is with the revolving door with people being shuffled from think tanks, to corporate positions, to work as lobbyists, into government, then into an "institute," then back to the corporation, then back into government.

Or at least I see a problem there. Opinions can vary on that, I suppose.

[Donnachaidh]

2. hmmm....

"I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over," Obama said in November 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa.

[balantz]

3. Raytheon's in the White House. n/t

[saracat]

4. Careful. reporting the news is now subversive to some.

[balantz]

5. Sshhh!!!

:P

[Demeter]

10. Since I Actually Had the Experience of Working for Raytheon

this is bad. This is more than not good. This is a really bad precedent.

[balantz]

11. Can you share more about your experience and observations? n/t

[Enthusiast]

13. Truth is, The Military Industrial

Complex has this country by the ass. And that will not change with Obama. And if we need another war to justify spending more than the entire rest of the world combined, we will have one.