Two weeks ago we reported on former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson’s failure to disclose his Advisor and Chairman positions at consulting firm APCO Worldwide, in his TIME op-ed promoting exporting liquified natural gas (LNG). From December 2012 to January 2014, APCO was contracted by the Ukrainian State Agency for Investment and National Projects for $330,000 to …
Gin Armstrong
Posts by Gin Armstrong
Former NM Governor Bill Richardson’s conflicted promotion of LNG exports
On Tuesday TIME published an opinion piece by former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson. In “Our Best Response to Russia is Energy Security,” Richardson argued in favor of using LNG exports to respond to the situation in Ukraine and send “a strong signal” to Moscow: Strongly supporting projects, such as the Trans-Adriatic and Anatolian Pipelines …
Another military-industrial pundit comments on Ukraine, fails to disclose defense ties
As we suspected, the same conflicted experts who called for US military strikes in Syria last year have taken to the airwaves to comment on Ukraine. Last week, I looked at Stephen Hadley, whose ties to Raytheon and RiceHadleyGates have not been disclosed in multiple media appearances. Another military-industrial pundit who is back for another …
Stephen Hadley weighs in on Ukraine, forgets to disclose his defense industry ties…again (Updated 3/7)
Stephen Hadley is making the media rounds again. The former National Security Advisor to George W Bush served in the White House when Russia moved into parts of Georgia in 2008 and oversaw the administration’s response. In the past two days Hadley appeared on the Charlie Rose Show, and CNN’s Situation Room and Anderson Cooper 360, …
Will lack of disclosure continue in expert analysis of Ukraine?
Last fall we issued a report on conflicts on interest in the Syria debate, wherein we tracked the defense industry ties of 22 expert commentators and 7 think tanks who commented on military intervention in Syria. With the uptick in expert analysis on how/if/when the US should respond to the situation in Ukraine we will …
Former SEC Chair’s shift at Promontory Financial raises questions about revolving door
Last month former SEC Chair Mary Schapiro made an unexpected change to her employment in the private sector, moving from an executive position to an advisory role at Promontory Financial, the regulatory consulting firm that both services Wall Street’s compliance needs and serves at the top tier revolving door destination for former financial regulators. While it …
New details on hyped Tomahawk missile reveal holes in Raytheon’s message
In September PAI released a report detailing the defense industry ties of commentators and think tanks who were active in debating intervention in Syria, including former national security adviser, Stephen Hadley. We found that Hadley, now a director at Raytheon, one of the US’s largest defense contractors and the manufacturer of the popular Tomahawk cruise missile, …
Event horizon: Power networks in NYT’s “Planet Hillary”
On Sunday the New York Times posted a fascinating piece of power research on Hillary Clinton’s ever-expanding sphere of connections within her personal and political networks. Author Amy Chozick compared Clinton’s world to Obama’s more insular model: Unlike Barack Obama, who will leave the White House with more or less the same handful of friends he …
What it takes to get on CNBC’s power list
CNBC is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and kicking off the yearlong fête with a viewer-generated “definitive” ranking of those who “have had the greatest influence, sparked the biggest changes and created the most disruption in business over the past quarter century.” According to a press release, the pool of contenders were chosen based on …
New CEOs, same door
On Sunday the Washington Post reported on the “new crop” of defense industry CEOs from the last two years, highlighting the industry’s troubled waters and desire for steady hands to brave the sequester. According to American Security Project fellow August Cole, the best strategy for navigating the coming changes would be one of relationship building: …
Of buddies and buyouts: Carlyle Group’s revolving door
Private equity firm The Carlyle Group recently announced that it was bringing on former Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski as a managing director and partner in its buyout group. As well-connected hires go, Carlyle couldn’t do much better than Genachowski; a friend and basketball buddy of Obama since his Harvard Law Review days, he led …
Top ten Eyes on the Ties posts of 2013
This year we ramped up our blogging activity to bring you punchier hits of LittleSis research and analysis, covering topics that span energy, defense, finance, policy, and government. Be sure to subscribe to Eyes on the Ties in 2014! With no further ado, the top 10 Eyes on the Ties posts of 2013: …