ICE terminated a $72.9 million no-bid contract with Universal Strategic Advisors after competitor protests exposed “improper influence” in securing the deal. The company’s executives, Brian DeMore and David Marin, were previously sued for fabricating criminal evidence while at DHS. …
Northrop Grumman spent $10.86 million on federal lobbying in 2023, employing 36 lobbyists of whom 29—a staggering 80.6 percent—had previously worked in government positions, exemplifying the revolving door between the Pentagon, Congress, and defense contractors that enables systematic corruption of …
Senator Elizabeth Warren released a comprehensive report analyzing the defense contractor revolving door, identifying 672 cases where the top 20 defense contractors employed former government officials, military officers, members of Congress, and senior legislative staff. The analysis found that 91% …
Elizabeth WarrenBoeingRaytheonLockheed MartinHouse Armed Services Committee+1 morerevolving-doordefense-contractorslobbyingcongressional-corruptionpentagon
Comprehensive analysis of Biden administration’s 2022 financial disclosures reveals a complex landscape of potential conflicts of interest and efforts to mitigate them. The Office of Government Ethics certified financial reports showing high compliance, with 48 out of 56 White House assistants …
Biden AdministrationOffice of Government EthicsRegulatory AgenciesPolitical AppointeesAntony Blinken+3 moreregulatory-capturerevolving-doorpersonnelconflict-of-interestethics-disclosure+1 more
In November 2021, the senior leadership of In-Q-Tel—CEO Christopher Darby, President Stephen Bowsher, and technology investor Michael Rolnick—filed for an initial public offering for Chain Bridge I, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) seeking to raise $200 million. The blank check company …
Christopher DarbyStephen BowsherMichael MorellJeremy BashAlex Younger+2 morein-q-telciarevolving-doorcorruptionspac+2 more
Former FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, who led the agency during the Emergency Use Authorization of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines, took an executive-level position as Chief Medical Officer with Flagship Pioneering, the venture capital firm that launched Moderna. This transition occurred six …
Stephen HahnFlagship PioneeringModernaFood and Drug Administration (FDA)Noubar Afeyan+1 moreregulatory-capturepharmaceutical-industryrevolving-doorcovid-19fda
President Joe Biden nominated Frank Kendall for Air Force Secretary in May 2021 despite Kendall having received $702,319 in consulting fees from Northrop Grumman as part of a $300,000 per year consulting contract after serving as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics …
Frank KendallNorthrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceJoe BidenU.S. Senaterevolving doormilitary-industrial complexdefense contractorscorruptionconflicts of interest+2 more
WeWork formally withdraws its S-1 filing and postpones its IPO after investor scrutiny reveals catastrophic governance failures and self-dealing by CEO Adam Neumann. The company’s valuation collapses from $47 billion (January 2019) to under $10 billion in months. The SEC investigation reveals …
Adam NeumannWeWorkSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC)SoftBankJohn White+1 morefraudregulatory-capturecorporate-governancesecrevolving-door+2 more
On July 23, 2019, the Senate voted 90-8 to confirm Mark Esper as Secretary of Defense, installing a former Raytheon weapons lobbyist as head of the Pentagon with authority over approximately $700 billion in annual defense spending including contracts worth tens of billions to his former employer. …
Mark EsperRaytheonDonald TrumpElizabeth WarrenLindsey Grahamrevolving-doorraytheondefense-contractorspentagonmark-esper+2 more
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos formally repealed the Obama Administration’s Gainful Employment Rule on July 1, 2019, eliminating the only federal accountability mechanism that measured whether career training programs at for-profit colleges and non-degree programs at all institutions …
Betsy DeVosU.S. Department of EducationRobert EitelJulian Schmoke Jr.For-Profit College Industry+1 morefor-profit-educationderegulationregulatory-capturerevolving-doorstudent-debt+2 more
The Senate confirmed David Bernhardt as Interior Secretary on April 11, 2019, by a vote of 56 to 41 despite extensive conflicts of interest from his career as an oil and gas lobbyist. A Center for American Progress analysis determined Bernhardt had the dubious distinction of being the most …
David BernhardtDonald Trumpcabinet corruptionethics violationsdavid bernhardtinterior departmentconflicts of interest+2 more
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi joined Ballard Partners, the powerful Trump-connected lobbying firm, as chairwoman of the Corporate Regulatory Compliance practice immediately after leaving office in January 2019. Over the next five years, Bondi would lobby on behalf of more than 30 clients …
On July 9, 2018, Donald Trump named Andrew Wheeler as Acting EPA Administrator following Scott Pruitt’s resignation amid 14 federal corruption investigations. Wheeler, a former coal industry lobbyist who had represented Murray Energy—one of America’s largest coal companies—embodied …
Andrew WheelerDonald TrumpEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Faegre Baker DanielsMurray Energy+1 moreregulatory-captureepafossil-fuelsclimate-denialrevolving-door+1 more
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reversed its 2017 denial and approved Reserve Trust Company’s master account application in May 2018, approximately nine months after former Fed Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin allegedly contacted Kansas City Fed President Esther George. The approval raised …
Sarah Bloom RaskinReserve Trust CompanyFederal Reserve Bank of Kansas CityEsther GeorgePat Toomey+1 morefederal-reservecorruptionrevolving-doorsarah-bloom-raskinkansas-city-fed+3 more
On January 24, 2018, the Senate confirmed Alex Azar as Secretary of Health and Human Services by a vote of 55-43, installing as the nation’s top healthcare regulator a pharmaceutical executive who had overseen dramatic insulin price increases during his decade at Eli Lilly. As President of …
Alex AzarEli LillyDepartment of Health and Human ServicesRon WydenDonald Trumprevolving-doorregulatory-capturehealthcarepharmaceutical-industryinsulin-pricing+3 more
Dan Elwell becomes acting FAA Administrator on January 7, 2018, when Michael Huerta’s five-year term ends, exemplifying the revolving door between aviation regulators and the industry they oversee. Elwell, who had served as Deputy Administrator since June 2017, brought extensive aviation …
Dan ElwellFederal Aviation AdministrationMichael HuertaTransportation Secretary Elaine ChaoBoeing Corporation+7 moreregulatory-capturefaa-leadershipboeing-737-maxrevolving-dooraviation-regulation+1 more
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned after revelations he spent
over $1 million in taxpayer funds on private jets and military aircraft for travel
that included personal business. Price took at least 26 private charter flights
costing over $400,000, often to places where he had …
Tom PriceDonald TrumpDepartment of Health and Human Servicescorruptionresignationmisuse-of-fundshealthcareinsider-trading+5 more
On July 21, 2017, the Senate confirmed Mark Esper as Secretary of the Army, installing a former Raytheon weapons lobbyist in a senior Pentagon position overseeing billions of dollars in defense contracts. Esper had served as Raytheon’s vice president of government relations from July 2010 …
Mark EsperRaytheonDonald TrumpElizabeth Warrenrevolving-doorraytheondefense-contractorspentagonlobbying+1 more
On June 15, 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City initially denied Reserve Trust Company’s application for a master account, one month after former Fed Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin joined the fintech’s board. Subsequent investigations revealed that Raskin allegedly made direct …
Sarah Bloom RaskinReserve Trust CompanyFederal Reserve Bank of Kansas CityEsther GeorgePat Toomey+1 morefederal-reservecorruptionrevolving-doorsarah-bloom-raskinkansas-city-fed+4 more
In mid-April 2017, just weeks after quietly departing the Trump White House in March, Boris Epshteyn was hired by Sinclair Broadcast Group as “chief political analyst,” creating a direct propaganda pipeline from the Trump administration to 173 local television stations in 81 markets …
Boris EpshteynSinclair Broadcast GroupDonald TrumpWhite House Office of CommunicationsTrump Administrationsinclair-broadcastingpropagandamedia-consolidationtrump-coordinationrevolving-door+3 more
President Donald Trump designates Ajit Pai as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, elevating the sitting Republican commissioner and former Verizon Communications associate general counsel to lead the agency responsible for regulating his former employer and the broader …
Donald TrumpAjit PaiVerizon CommunicationsFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Tom Wheelerrevolving-doorregulatory-capturefccnet-neutralityverizon+2 more
Retired General Mark Welsh joined Northrop Grumman’s board of directors just five months after retiring as Air Force Chief of Staff and barely one year after the company won the $21.4 billion initial contract to build the B-21 Raider next-generation stealth bomber, exemplifying the revolving …
Mark WelshNorthrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceWes BushDonald Trumprevolving doormilitary-industrial complexdefense contractorscorruptionpentagon contracts+2 more
On August 31, 2016, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), chairman of the House Budget Committee and member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, purchased between $50,001 and $100,000 in discounted shares of Innate Immunotherapeutics, an Australian biotech company, through a private placement offering …
Tom PriceChris CollinsInnate ImmunotherapeuticsZimmer BiometHouse Energy and Commerce Committeeinsider-tradingcongressional-corruptionhealthcarerevolving-doorstock-act-violation+2 more
Moelis & Company, a Wall Street investment bank, announced the appointment of former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) as vice chairman and managing director just two weeks after his congressional career ended. According to SEC filings, Cantor’s compensation package included a …
Eric CantorMoelis & CompanyHouse Republicansrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionwall-streetfinancial-sector
The Senate confirmed former Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) as U.S. Ambassador to China by a vote of 96-0, ending his 36-year congressional career. Baucus had served as chairman and ranking member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, where he was the chief architect of the …
Max BaucusSenate Finance CommitteeMerckUnitedHealth GroupJeffrey Forbesrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionhealthcareregulatory-capture
General James Mattis joined the General Dynamics board of directors in August 2013, just five months after retiring from the Marine Corps in March 2013 as commander of U.S. Central Command. Mattis would earn over $900,000 in total compensation during his 2013-2017 board tenure, including $594,369 in …
James MattisGeneral DynamicsMarine Corpsrevolving-doordefense-contractorsgeneral-dynamicspentagonmilitary-industrial-complex
President Barack Obama nominates Tom Wheeler, a former top lobbyist for cable and wireless industries, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Wheeler’s appointment exemplifies the revolving door between telecommunications regulators and industry, having served as CEO of the Cellular …
Tom WheelerBarack ObamaCellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA)National Cable Television Association (NCTA)Public Interest Groups+1 moreregulatory-capturefccrevolving-doortelecommunicationstom-wheeler+1 more
On January 29, 2013, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer announced his resignation as head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, just one week after PBS Frontline aired “The Untouchables,” a damning documentary exposing how the Obama Justice Department had …
Lanny BreuerEric HolderDepartment of JusticeCovington & BurlingBarack Obama+2 morefinancial-crisisaccountability-crisisregulatory-capturerevolving-doortoo-big-to-fail+1 more
On December 5, 2012, Elizabeth “Liz” Fowler announced her departure from the White House to join Johnson & Johnson as head of global health policy, completing her third spin through the healthcare industry revolving door. Fowler had served as the chief architect of the Affordable …
Elizabeth FowlerJohnson & JohnsonWellPointMax BaucusBarack Obama+1 morerevolving-doorregulatory-capturehealthcarelobbyingpharmaceutical-industry+3 more
Goldman Sachs announced the appointment of former Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) as an international advisor to the firm, making him one of 17 such advisors providing strategic counsel to Goldman’s executives and clients. Gregg had served three terms in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011, serving as …
Judd GreggGoldman SachsSecurities Industry and Financial Markets Associationrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionwall-streetgoldman-sachs
FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker announces her resignation to join Comcast-NBC Universal as senior vice president of governmental affairs, just four months after voting to approve the company’s merger with NBC Universal. Baker was part of the 4-1 majority that approved the $30 billion …
Former Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) was named chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), becoming Hollywood’s chief lobbyist in Washington despite having “repeatedly and categorically” promised he would not work as a lobbyist after leaving the Senate. Dodd …
Chris DoddMPAAMotion Picture Associationrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionhollywoodfinancial-sector
Former Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) joined private equity giant Apollo Global Management as a senior adviser and McGuireWoods as a strategic advisor immediately after leaving the Senate in January 2011. Within months, Bayh also secured positions on five corporate boards: Marathon Petroleum, Berry …
Evan BayhApollo Global ManagementMcGuireWoodsMarathon PetroleumBerry Plasticsrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionprivate-equitycorporate-boards
Jeffrey Siegel, an FDA staff member specializing in arthritis drug reviews, oversaw the 2010 approval of Genentech tocilizumab (Actemra) for arthritis treatment. Within months of the approval, Siegel left the FDA to join Genentech and its parent company Roche as director of the division that …
An enforcement branch chief in the SEC’s San Francisco office left the agency in May 2010 to become in-house counsel at Wells Fargo & Co. Less than two weeks after joining Wells Fargo, she filed six disclosure statements indicating she would be representing the bank in connection with …
Wells FargoSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC)SEC San Francisco Officerevolving-doorwells-fargosecregulatory-captureenforcement+1 more
Dr. Julie Gerberding, who served as CDC Director from 2002-2009, joined Merck as president of the company’s vaccine division shortly after leaving government service. This move sparked significant controversy because during her tenure at the CDC, Gerberding oversaw the agency’s …
Dr. Julie GerberdingCDCMerckGardasil vaccineregulatory-capturecdcpharmaceuticalsrevolving-doorvaccines+1 more
Despite widespread evidence of fraud in the 2008 financial crisis, the Obama administration prosecuted zero major Wall Street executives, contrasting starkly with the Savings and Loan crisis when 1,706 bankers were sent to prison. Instead, the DOJ pursued civil settlements totaling tens of billions, …
Eric HolderDepartment of JusticeWall Street BanksLanny BreuerCovington & Burlingfinancial-crisiswall-streetimpunityrevolving-doortoo-big-to-fail
Senator Trent Lott (R-MS), former Senate Majority Leader, abruptly resigned from the Senate effective 11:30 PM on December 18, 2007, explicitly timing his departure to avoid the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. The new ethics law, taking effect January 1, 2008, would have required a …
The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act took full effect after President Bush signed it into law, implementing new ethics rules designed to slow the revolving door between Congress and lobbying firms. The law extended cooling-off periods from one to two years for senators and established a …
Public Citizen released “Congressional Revolving Doors: The Journey from Congress To K Street,” documenting that 43% of U.S. House and Senate lawmakers (86 out of 198) who left office between 1998 and 2004 became registered lobbyists. The report found that 50% of eligible departing …
Public CitizenCongressK Streetrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionregulatory-capture
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) joined InterMedia Advisors, a New York-based private equity firm, as a consultant and chairman of its executive advisory board just months after losing his 2004 reelection bid. Simultaneously, Daschle joined the law and lobbying firm Alston & Bird …
Tom DaschleInterMedia AdvisorsAlston & BirdLeo Hinderyrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionhealthcareprivate-equity
Former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO) founded Gephardt Group, a consulting and lobbying firm, immediately after his three-decade political career ended with the expiration of his 14th congressional term on January 3, 2005. Gephardt established the Atlanta-based firm with his children, …
Dick GephardtGephardt GroupDLA Piperrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptiondemocratic-party
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) announced that former House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) would become its president and CEO, effective January 2005. The announcement came shortly after Tauzin’s retirement from Congress, where from 2001 …
Billy TauzinPhRMAMedicarerevolving-doorregulatory-capturehealthcarelobbyingcongressional-corruption
Oracle Corporation hired David W. Carney as Vice President of Information Assurance on September 4, 2001, just one week before the September 11 terrorist attacks, marking a significant deepening of Oracle’s relationship with the U.S. intelligence community. Carney retired after 32 years at the …
OracleDavid W. CarneyCIALarry Ellisonoracleciarevolving-doorintelligence-agenciesnational-security
President George W. Bush appointed James G. Roche as Secretary of the Air Force in 2001 despite—or perhaps because of—Roche’s 17-year career as a top executive at Northrop Grumman, one of the Air Force’s largest contractors, exemplifying the revolving door that enables defense industry …
James G. RocheNorthrop GrummanU.S. Air ForceDepartment of DefenseGeorge W. Bushrevolving doormilitary-industrial complexdefense contractorscorruptionconflicts of interest+1 more
Robert Rubin joins Citigroup just four months after leaving his position as Treasury Secretary, shortly after the November 1999 passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that repealed Glass-Steagall. Rubin’s move to Citigroup - the principal beneficiary of Glass-Steagall repeal - represents one of …
Robert RubinCitigroupSandy WeillGoldman SachsTreasury Departmentrevolving-doorcitigroupglass-steagallcorruptionregulatory-capture+2 more
The U.S. Senate confirms Lawrence Summers as the 71st Secretary of the Treasury, replacing Robert Rubin and continuing the aggressive deregulation agenda. Summers had spent the previous year as Deputy Secretary orchestrating opposition to derivatives regulation, including making an “irate …
Lawrence SummersBill ClintonRobert RubinU.S. SenateWall Street derivatives dealerstreasuryderivativesderegulationrevolving-doorfinancial-crisis+2 more
The FDA approved Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin application, including a scientifically unsubstantiated claim that delayed absorption ‘is believed to reduce the abuse liability of a drug.’ This approval occurred without clinical trials to prove the safety claim and marked the beginning …
FDAPurdue PharmaDr. Curtis WrightSackler Familyregulatory-capturefdapharmaceuticalsopioid-crisisrevolving-door+1 more
Robert E. Rubin was sworn in as the 70th Secretary of the Treasury, bringing Wall Street directly into the highest levels of economic policymaking. Rubin had spent 26 years at Goldman Sachs, rising to co-chairman from 1990-1992, before joining the Clinton administration as director of the National …
Robert RubinBill ClintonGoldman Sachsrevolving-doorgoldman-sachstreasuryfinancial-deregulationregulatory-capture
On her final day as Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Wendy Gramm approves a regulatory exemption allowing Enron to trade energy derivatives without CFTC oversight. The exemption, granted on January 14, 1993 (some sources cite January 21, the final day of the George H.W. Bush …
Wendy GrammPhil GrammEnron CorporationCFTC Commodity Futures Trading CommissionKenneth Layderivativescorruptionrevolving-doorenronenergy-trading+3 more