White House “Ethics Waiver” Allows Jarrett to Lobby for Olympics
Jake Tapper is ABC News senior White House correspondent. He broke this story on his blog:
On Friday night, the White House posted on its website a special ethics waiver allowing senior adviser Valerie Jarrett to lead the White House’s efforts to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago.
Jarrett had previously served as Vice Chair of the non-profit entity “Chicago 2016.”
The waiver — which can be read HERE — was signed by Special Counsel to the President and Designated Agency Ethics Official Norm Eisen.
It states that: “After consultation with the Counsel to the President, I hereby waive the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Ethics Pledge of Ms. Valerie Jarrett with respect to her former relationship with Chicago 2016. I have determined that it is in the public interest to grant the waiver because Ms. Jarrett’s knowledge and expertise on the United States’ sole Olympic bid for 2016 make her an ideal person to lead Administration efforts in support of this bid. I understand that Ms. Jarrett will otherwise comply with the remainder of the pledge and with all preexisting government ethics rules.” Download the waiver.
Haven’t we had ENOUGH waiver of ethics in Chicago politics? Call the White House at 202-456-1111 or use this online comment form to tell President Obama to buck the bid, not back the bid. The people say “NO GAMES.”
Please write the White house.
Here is a sample:
The people of Chicago want to keep their public parks, beaches, and tax dollars for things that matter, not a party that Mayor Daley and his cronies want to have in 2016. The City, County, and State are BROKE!! Mayor Daley said this “bid” would not cost the tax payers anything, and already, the city is spending $87 million on the hospital where the proposed Olympic Village will go. THE PEOPLE of Chicago DON’T WANT or need the 2016 Olympics.
Jarrett will be aligned with the Daley Corporate cronies of Chicago. Allowing this ethics waiver for Jarrett is bowing to Mayor Daley.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/05/01/Ethics-Update/
This waiver is an incredible disappointment from this administration. Please let the President know that we, the citizens of Chicago, don’t want him in Copenhagen on October 2nd backing the bid.
Concerned Chicago Citizen
Valerie Jarrett as then-Chair of the CTA Board, along with former CTA President and Daley hack Frank Kruesi, ran the CTA into the ground. She sounds quite unintelligent when speaking. It boggles my mind that Obama considers her a trusted advisor.
Then again with Ms. Jarrett involved maybe it will guarantee Chicago does not get the Olympics.