With Apologies to Elvis Fans: The Fox Has Left the Henhouse

by Mike Hall, May 23, 2007

In this case, the fox was President Bush’s choice to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Michael Baroody, the senior lobbyist and executive vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Baroody announced today he was withdrawing his name from consideration for the CPSC post.

The combination of a $150,000 severance payment from NAM, the fact that he would be investigating and possibly penalizing some of the same NAM members with which he had long-time relationships and his lobbying efforts against several proposed consumer rules while at NAM raised red flags with consumer groups. Several U.S. senators also said they would oppose Baroody’s nomination.

As The New York Times wrote last week:

He is the latest in a line of industry officials and lobbyists to be given senior jobs by Mr. Bush at federal safety agencies that oversee matters like workplace and mine safety and transportation as the administration has sought to roll back hundreds of regulations that businesses viewed as excessive.

Click here for a closer look at the Baroody nomination and reaction from the consumer advocates.

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