GekeVenn: BOEING

Welcome to the largest military-industrial complex venn to date with a total of 33 individuals who passed through Washington's revolving door either to or from Boeing. This list is not exhaustive; it includes only those people with the most notable and primarily defense-related positions in government. (Note that Todd Tiahrt worked for Boeing before being elected to Congress, but he also lists Boeing as a client of his lobbying firm, Tiahrt Enterprises.)

Boeing lobbyists have been trying for years to convince legislators that without Export-Import Bank subsidized financing, Boeing's overseas sales would tank. This is because on July 1, 2015 the Ex-Im Bank's congressional authorization expired. Even after it was later reinstated, rules constrained the bank to deals under $10 million, which means Boeing aircraft customers could no longer enjoy this form of subsidized financing.

Tim Carney recently reported in the Washington Examiner that on March 20 of this year, it had been 1000 days since the Export-Import Bank approved a taxpayer-backed loan guarantee for a Boeing customer. But in that 1000 days, Boeing's business has done just fine. The company enjoyed record profits in 2017, reporting operating earnings of $3 billion and its highest number of backlogged orders: 5,864 aircraft.

Carney points out that, “It's a great demonstration of how unnecessary corporate welfare really is, and a great argument for Presdient Trump and the Republicans to pull the plug on the Export-Import Bank of the U.S.”

Another factor in Boeing's record profits might also be the plethora of lobbyists who once worked on the Congressional defense-related committees. The House and Senate Armed Services Committees authorize $600 billion to be spent each year on defense appropriations and they oversee $1.4 trillion in major weapons purchases.

The venn above primarily includes congressional staffers from the last 20 years and is notable for its five former Congressmen, its five Congressional Armed Services Committee members, and its five Defense Department executives.

Please note that Gordon Johndroe and Sean McCormack are not listed identically in error. They actually shared very similar positions in the National Security Council (spokesman) and the State Department (communications). In fact, both also coincidentally served as Deputy White House Press Secretary in the Bush administration, but are, in fact, separate individuals. I checked.

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