Obama waives lobbying rules for LynnThe Obama administration has waived its ethics rules to allow William Lynn to serve as the deputy secretary of Defense.
Lynn was a registered lobbyist until early 2008 and his nomination raised some eyebrows even before the executive order on ethics that Obama issued Wednesday, because it contradicted the new president’s pledge not to let lobbyists in his administration.
According to Raytheon’s lobbying disclosure forms, Lynn was part of a team that lobbied on a wide range of defense-related issues, including force protection, electronics, intelligence and missile defense.
It would be difficult for Lynn, if he is confirmed, to avoid involvement in issues regarding his former company and the programs in which it is participating because Raytheon is one of the largest defense contractors, with contracts in many major weapons programs.
Lynn was the Pentagon comptroller during the Clinton administration. He also worked for Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).