President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaUnseemly brawl unlikely to change a thing It's now up to health systems to solve our food problems Testing the Electoral College process against judicial overreach MORE is directing government agencies to stop hiring lobbyists for boards and commissions.



The move is a continuation of Obama’s efforts to curb the influence of special interests in the federal government. On his first day as president, Obama signed an executive order that limited the ability of lobbyists to serve in government positions related to their previous lobbying activities.





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The White House has allowed several waivers on its lobbyist ban for key administration positions, including former Raytheon lobbyist William Lynn who now serves as deputy defense secretary.“Although lobbyists can sometimes play a constructive role in communicating information to the government, their service in privileged positions within the executive branch can perpetuate the culture of special-interest access that I am committed to changing,” he said in a statement issued Friday.In September, Obama first announced his intention to stop hiring lobbyists to serve on the advisory boards of federal agencies. Obama is now making it an official policy of his administration and directing the heads of executive departments and agencies not to make any new appointments or reappointments of federally registered lobbyists to advisory committees and other boards and commissions.The OMB will write proposed agency guidelines on the policy within 90 days.



