In a Friday blog posting on the White House website, Norm Eisen, the White House Ethics Counsel, outlined a policy update regarding communications about applying for stimulus money.  There were restrictions first applied to lobbyists, but after they allegedly complained about being unfairly targeted, the White House made some changes:

First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists.  For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process.  We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.

If this memo isn’t censorship, then it suffers from being the most vague thing ever written.  I mean, come on.  What does “anyone exerting influence on the process” mean?

Conceivably, this could be extended to mean, say, Congressmen/women or Senators.  They frequently request all sorts of funding and have a very large part in the “process.”  It could even mean someone like bloggers or pundits.  People like Newt Gingrich are said to have a large influence.  I’m sure he still frequently talks about the “process” with government officials.

Then there’s this part:

Third, we will continue to require immediate internet disclosure of all other communications with registered lobbyists.  If registered lobbyists have conversations or meetings before an application is filed, a form must be completed and posted to each agency’s website documenting the contact.

Conversations with whom?  Meetings between themselves?  Conversations with their corporate clients?  Is the government saying that they cannot have frank discussions about the goals they wish to achieve before applying for stimulus money?  That the government must approve all communications?

That’s called censorship.

I think the intent it to publicize meetings between lobbyists and government officials in order to strive for the utmost transparency, and to ensure that our elected officials are not being bought off by powerful lobbyists vying for a chunk of the money.  That seems like a laudable goal.  But this memo, as written, seems to indicate an attempt to overreach.

I think the White House needs to clarify the intent of this new policy.

(H/T Ed Morrissey @ Hot Air)