Obama announces senior staff pay freezes, begins lobbyist crackdown.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President Barack Obama, in one of his first actions in office, said he was putting in place a pay freeze for senior White House staff and tightening rules concerning former lobbyists who work in government.
“During this period of economic emergency, families are tightening their belts and so should Washington,” Obama said as he welcomed new staff members to the White House the day after he was sworn in.
“And that’s why I am instituting a pay freeze on the salaries of my senior White House staff,” he said.
Obama, who made government ethics reform and transparency major themes of his campaign, said he was putting in place strict new rules on former lobbyists who work in government.
He said he had set an order that would prohibit people who worked in the private sector as lobbyists from working on matters they previously lobbied on.
Obama also put in place a ban on gifts from lobbyists and promised much greater access for the public to government documents that are sensitive because of national security or privacy issues.
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That’s good stuff friends! I like cleanups and clear ethics. Bring it on!!!!
pd