White House Waves White Flag to Lobbyists

Let's them back in to serve "advisory" roles in various government boards and commissions

The White House is poised to reverse a key part of its ban on registered lobbyists serving in government.

The Office of Management and Budget will release a new rule on Wednesday expected to allow registered lobbyists to participate in policymaking deliberations in an advisory role.

Lobbyists for corporations and industry groups will now be allowed to serve on more than 1,000 industry boards, panels and commissions that give the private sector an advisory role in decision-making across the executive branch, according to a copy of the rule published on the Federal Register site.

The new rule affects a policy implemented in June 2010 as part of President Barack Obama's ethics package, but keeps some of the ban in place. Lobbyists will be allowed to serve only on commissions and boards in a "representative" capacity — so long as they're acting on behalf of a corporation, trade association or industry group and not as private citizens or representatives of the government.