It’s More Of A Guideline

Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise made both The Pirate Code and the fact that it’s more of a guideline famous in America. It seems that President Obama liked the movies so much that he’s applying the same standard to his on rules.

In 2008 Obama’s “Lobbyist Code” was set forth:

If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied, during the previous two years.

— Sen. Barack Obama
During the 2008 Presidential Campaign

But Associated Press (AP)  is reporting that the Obama Administration will have to bend its own lobbying rules if William J. Lynn III is to become the next Deputy Defense Secretary. Mr. Lynn was a registered lobbyist for defense contractor Raytheon until July, 2008; that puts him well within the exclusionary limit previously committed to by the Obama Administration.

But apparently Lynn’s disqualification for the 2nd highest position in the US Defense Department do to being a lobbyist for a defense contractor isn’t that much of a problem.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that even the toughest rules require “reasonable exceptions” and that the waiver provisions were added to allow “uniquely qualified individuals” like Lynn serve.

Even Sen. Carl Levin, Obama’s fellow Democrat and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said that relying on such wavers to fill key positions would fail to reinforce the supposed intent of Obama’s lobbying rules.

You see, Obama’s Lobbyist Code…It’s more of a guideline…Arrrrr!

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