You Won't Hear this on Fox: Obama Bans Lobbyists from Boards

In an almost non-reported story, President Obama has ordered "hundreds, if not thousands" of registered lobbyists off of agency advisory boards and panels.  The policy, introduced several months ago, was reported yesterday by the Washington Post.  White House counsel for ethics, Norm Eisen, was quoted from a September blog post saying,

"Some folks have developed a comfortable Beltway perch sitting on these boards while at the same time working as lobbyists to influence the government.  That is just the kind of special interest access that the president objects to."

Advisory panels are common in Washington, numbering as many as 1,000 with 60,000 sitting members.  Many of those seats have been occupied by some of the estimated 13,000 registered lobbyists who influence policy for special interests for money.  Lobbyist influence under GWB was raised to art form, with lobbyists actually appointed by the hundreds to agency policy positions and influence from super lobbyist Jack Abramoff reaching deeply into the administration.  President Obama's effort to reverse this lobbyist influence is unprecedented in the cynical world that lives inside the Beltway.

The lack of coverage of this policy is also unprecedented.  A search of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, and Michelle Malkin turned up zip...zero...nada mention of this policy.  It was reported on MSNBC, and to his credit, Drudge gave it passing mention today.  Attention from the right wing blogosphere?  You know what that is: