Prof. Painter Quoted in The Nation on Private Sector Payments to Incoming Government Officials

Professor Richard Painter was quoted in The Nation in an article on private sector employers that give substantial termination bonuses to employees who leave to become Congressional staffers and take other government jobs. Painter observed that "[t]hese bonuses create a serious conflict of interest," and that "[i]n some instances it is the bonuses that allow these people to leave the private sector to work for Congress because the bonuses are needed to supplement the lower federal salary." He also observed that "This is a great strategy for 'planting' one's own alumni in key government jobs," because these staffers "are likely to have influence over matters that affect their previous employers."