Just as we thought: FAA Corruption

The Revolving Door Revolves...
WASHINGTON, D.C. -

Found on http://moderateman.blogspot.com/2007/08/revolving-door-revolves.html

The Federal Aviation Administration's top official is headed for the door--Washington's revolving door, that is--to become the aerospace industry's head lobbyist.

The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has announced that FAA Administrator Marion Blakey will become its new chief executive Nov. 12, replacing the organization's retiring CEO, John Douglass. In her new role, Blakey will be the top voice in Washington for an industry that makes commercial planes and serves as a contractor to the Pentagon. Its most prominent members include Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ), Northrop Grumman (nyse: NOC - news - people ) and Lockheed Martin (nyse: LMT - news - people ).

A conflict of interest? Possibly. Even though this type of thing happens all the time in Washington, it's certainly a gray area. And it doesn't do much to change the public's belief that politicians and political appointees are in bed with industry.

"Essentially what these members are doing is cashing in on their public service," says Craig Holman, who follows congressional issues for the watchdog group Public Citizen. He notes that political appointees are doing the same thing. "It's because there's just so much money at stake now," he adds.

(Forbes)