Another Former Lockheed Employee Takes Key Senate job

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April 25, 2013

Another former lobbyist for defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin has been tapped to head the Republican staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to an article in ProPublica.

John Bonsell spent five years as a lobbyist for major military contractors including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and SAIC. His new position puts him in a powerful place in a committee that oversees the defense industry and has considerable power to decide where defense funds are directed.

From the article:

In 2007, he joined Robison International, a lobby shop focusing on military issues that is led by a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs named Randall West.

After five years as a lobbyist, Bonsell rejoined Inhofe’s staff in 2012 as legislative director. Earlier this year, when Inhofe took over from McCain as ranking member on the Armed Services Committee, he hired Bonsell to be staff director.

Before Bonsell, former Lockheed executive and lobbyist Ann Sauer held this very same position. Sauer worked for Lockheed for more than 10 years and was paid well for her work. We wrote about Sauer’s appointment in July of 2012.

Sauer received more than $1.66 million from Lockheed during a reporting period that encompasses this year and last year, according to a financial disclosure form she filed in April. The $1.66 million included salary, bonus, deferred compensation and a lump sum described in the filing as “RETIRED PAY.”

Read more about Bonsell in ProPublica.

Topics: National Security

Related Content: Conflicts of Interest, Congressional Oversight, Defense, Lobbying, Revolving Door, Un-Do Influence

Authors: Andre Francisco

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