Revolving Door

THE EXPRESSION revolving door is applied to the flow of employees between the public and private sectors of the economy. Upon leaving their jobs, high level public officials are able to translate their expertise into equally prestigious and often higher[Page 689] paying jobs in the private sector. The watchdog agency Common Cause defines the revolving door as “the practice of government officials cashing in on their public service by leaving public office and going to work for the same special interests who were seeking favors from them while they were in office.” Thus, this is an issue that raises important ethical questions because it breeds tight relationships between private sector organizations, bureaucrats, and elected officials that are perceived as threats to democratic government. The revolving ...