Mandy Smithberger talks about the revolving door between politics and arms manufacturers, most recently manifested in President Trump’s appointment of Patrick Shanahan as acting secretary of defense. Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, has recused himself from issues directly involving Boeing, but as Smithberger points out, that doesn’t prevent him from promoting the interests of his former company, since he still has huge influence over the industry in general. His history with Boeing can also make it hard to know when his decisions are legitimate and when he might be biased against a former competitor, as in the case of the new F-35 fighter jets.

Discussed on the show:

• “Our Man From Boeing” (Project on Government Oversight)
• Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
• House Resolution 1

Mandy Smithberger is the director of the Strauss Military Reform Project at POGO. Previously she was a national security policy adviser to U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California). Follow her work on Twitter @StrausReform.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

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