Posted on 05/20/2010 1:59:10 PM PDT by jazusamo
Last week, McLaughlin was officially reprimanded for violating its ethics policies. A White House investigation found that McLaughlin, a former senior executive at Google, had repeatedly circumvented both the letter and spirit of White House ethics rules by communicating with former colleagues about Administration policies affecting the company.
The White House confirmed that Mr. McLaughlin used his personal Gmail account when discussing White House business, possibly violating federal archiving rules.
From web privacy to Net neutrality to China’s Internet policies, McLaughlin actively engaged Google’s lobbying team and at least one top company official, in at least one case contradicting the Administration’s public stance.
In that instance, the Administration was publicly stating that it was fairly and dispassionately evaluating a Court decision that had the potential to materially affect Google. Yet McLaughlin simultaneously leaked highly sensitive material and inside information to a senior Google official via a confidential email that the policy would not change.
President Obama has repeatedly claimed that his Administration would have no tolerance for unethical ‘revolving door’ behavior by officials who are supposed to be working for the taxpayers but instead are granting special access and favors to their former employers. The situation with McLaughlin is a test of President Obama’s ethics commitment.
If the Obama Administration is truly committed to the idea of strict ethical standards McLaughlin’s tenure as a senior official of the Obama White House must end.
“If the Obama Administration is truly committed to the idea of strict ethical standards McLaughlin’s tenure as a senior official of the Obama White House must end.”
Of course, if the administration were so truly committed, a great many heads would have rolled by now. Indeed, some individuals such as tax cheater Timothy Geithner never would have been appointed in the first place. That none of the above has happened permits us to correctly infer the administration’s actual position on ethical standards: it has none. Thus, expecting to see the exercise of such standards in this case is woefully naive.
Well said...This guy will not be leaving as long as he caters to Obama’s every whim just as the majority of his Executive Branch appointees that suffer a lack of ethics and integrity.
“Obama Administration” and “ethical standards” should never be in the same sentence.
Somehow or other, this too, is Bush’s fault
Oh, they will fire him the way they fire most or these guys, he will go to work for S.E.I.U, Organizing for America, ACORN, need I go on?
Oh, he is liberal. He not at fault. /sarcasm
Sure they can, so long as “ethical standards” is preceded by “egregious lack of”.
Ethics????????????
E T H I C S.........as in ethics???????????????
In the White House????????????????
Or he’ll become a lobbyist soon.
bump
I cannot abide what these techie companies become, and all the Andrew McLaughlins they all hire and promote, promote, promote, with salaries in the many multi-millions.
WHY isn't this total jerk creepo being charged with a crime??
HOW is it possible that he did the things alleged and all that happens is that this arrogant weird individual simply gets to send in a resignation letter???
I am starting to literally LOATHE google.
I agree, although I’d substitute “hang” for “resign”. Thanks hennie pennie.
Were there an ethical person at the WH he/she would glow in the dark in comparison to the rest.
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