Millionaires Step Down to Join Obama Administration

Thursday, January 29, 2009
Jeh Johnson, Multi-Millionaire Lawyer

Even at six-figures, some of the members in President Obama’s Cabinet are taking a pay cut when accepting their new jobs. Tuesday, the government released financial reports presenting the assets and salaries of the new appointees, some of whom made millions from investments and lucrative careers in law, lobbying and business before joining Obama’s administration. Taking the biggest cut is Obama’s nominee for Attorney General, Eric Holder, who received $3.3 million as a partner at the law firm of Covington & Burling, far more than the $196,700 he will make as a member of Obama's Cabinet. Jeh Johnson, nominated to serve as the Pentagon’s top lawyer, reportedly earned $2.6 million last year as a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Obama’s choice to become U.S. Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, received $556,740 last year from law firm Vinson & Elkins and a total of $460,265 from serving on several corporate boards. Obama's choice for deputy defense secretary, William J. Lynn, received a salary of $369,615 last year as a senior vice president for military contractor Raytheon, and is expecting a 2008 cash bonus of $100,001 to $250,000 in March. In addition, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s report shows that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, earned $5.7 million in speaking fees last year. Jacob Lew, Obama's choice for Clinton’s deputy, reported receiving $1.1 million last year in salary as a Citigroup managing director. Most of these nominees also hold significant stock shares in their respective companies In the interests of patriotism (and conflict-of-interest rules), some may have to sell these stocks and invest their profits elsewhere..

 
Six-Figure Cabinet Jobs Sometimes Mean a Pay Cut (by Sharon Theimer, Associated Press)

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