OMB Watch Applauds White House Move to Quickly Fill Ethics and Government Reform Roles upon Norm Eisen Departure

PRESS RELEASE
-For Immediate Release-
Aug. 6, 2010

Contact: Brian Gumm, (202) 683-4812, bgumm@ombwatch.org

OMB Watch Applauds White House Move to Quickly Fill Ethics and Government Reform Roles upon Norm Eisen Departure

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2010—Today, OMB Watch joined with several other good government groups to applaud the work of Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform. The groups also expressed appreciation that the White House has moved swiftly to replace Eisen, who is departing to become Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, the groups noted that Eisen has made a positive contribution to advancing the administration's commitment to higher ethical standards and greater transparency and accountability in the executive branch. In particular, Eisen focused on issues including lobbying and ethics reform and the Open Government Directive.

The groups are also pleased that Obama has moved quickly to provide senior leadership on the issues of ethics, transparency, and accountability as Eisen transitions to his ambassador role. Media reports indicate that Bob Bauer, the president's counsel, will take on Eisen's duties on ethics reform, transparency, and a number of other issues.

In addition, Steven Croley will join the White House Domestic Policy Council and will focus on government reform issues. Croley is a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, where he has focused on administrative law, regulation, and related subjects.

Gary D. Bass, Executive Director of OMB Watch, said, "We greatly appreciate the work that Mr. Eisen has done at the White House, especially on government openness issues. We support the president's approach to replacing Mr. Eisen, and we're glad that the president is moving so quickly to ensure that important ethics reform and government transparency issues remain at the forefront of policymaking at the White House."

Bass added that he looks forward to working closely with Bauer and Croley in their new roles.

A copy of the good government groups' letter is available online at http://www.ombwatch.org/files/goodgovgroupseisenltrtopresidentobama080610.pdf.

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OMB Watch is a nonprofit government watchdog organization dedicated to promoting government accountability, citizen participation in public policy decisions, and the use of fiscal and regulatory policy to serve the public interest. Find OMB Watch on Facebook and Twitter.

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