President-elect Barack Obama appointed a defense contractor's lobbyist yesterday to become the No. 2 official at the Defense Department, acknowledging that his choice appeared to break with his self-imposed rules to keep lobbyists at arm's length.
William J. Lynn III, Obama's choice for deputy defense secretary, is a former Pentagon official who now is senior vice president for government operations at
Obama's transition team said Lynn's talents made him worth the apparent exception to the spirit of Obama's antilobbyists policy. It said it will work with Lynn to maintain Obama's high ethics standards.
Some government watchdogs questioned Lynn's appointment even while acknowledging his qualifications.
"He left public service and went into lobbying for one of the largest defense contractors in the nation. And that's the part that's troubling," said Bill Buzenberg, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity. "Even if he's completely above board and ethical, it raises questions."