Monday, July 10, 2006

Washington Revolving Door


Washington has some pricey revolving doors. Take the case of Jeffrey Shockey. The Washington Post's Jeffery Birnbaum describes the windfall for the lobbyist turned congressional aide:
"The 40-year-old congressional staffer last year collected nearly $2 million in severance payments from his former employer, a lobbying firm that specializes in winning benefits from the committee he now serves. Many longtime Washingtonians are shaking their heads in disbelief over the payout's enormous size, its ad hoc method of calculation and the fact that Shockey received it while working as a senior congressional aide."
Passing through the revolving door between lobby firms and Congress can be the more damaging kind of "spin" as far as taxpayers go.

Mr Shockey has been back and forth between working for Congress and working for lobbying firms multiple times. (WashPost)

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