An Incredible Conflict of Interest
Michael E. Baroody has been a senior lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers. He has been named by President Bush to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The NAM is delighted — as might be expected. What was not expected was a gift of $150,000 from the NAM to Baroody.
Such a gift is rare and suspect. Baroody informed the Commission’s General Counsel that the severance payment was an “extra-ordinary payment,” which indeed it was. Under existing rules, Baroody could not be employed by the NAM for two years. But, he notes, that while he could not do so, he could and would take cases of individual companies until such time when he could serve the NAM. He could also represent sub-groups of the NAM.
In short, he will do his work with members of the NAM although not with the NAM per se. He will violate the spirit of the law although abiding by the letter of the law.
The choice of Baroody to see to it that consumers get good representation was, of course, not a matter of his own doing. It was a decision made by the president of the U.S.
But cheer up. A national election is on the way.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!