Before taking a pay cut and going to work for Congress, executive Thomas MacKenzie received a hefty bonus from his soon-to-be former employer, Northrop Grumman. In his new position on a key House committee, MacKenzie advises lawmakers on whether to finance expensive projects developed by Northrop Grumman.

 

MacKenzie joined the staff of the House Armed Services Committee in March 2011 after serving as a vice president at Northrop Grumman. His decision to return to Capitol Hill meant giving up his corporate position that paid nearly $530,000 annually for one that earns about $120,000.

 

Fortunately for MacKenzie, Northrop Grumman gave him a nice parting gift: a $498,000 bonus.

 

The defense contractor has a lot at stake as the Department of Defense decides how to trim its future budgets. Northrop Grumman manufactures the costly F-35 fighter, surveillance drones and nuclear bombers.

 

Along with MacKenzie, the company has an important ally in Representative Buck McKeon (D-California), chairman of the armed services committee. McKeon is “by far the biggest recipient of Northrop Grumman campaign contributions in Congress,” and “has defended billions of dollars in questionable projects for MacKenzie’s former employer,” according to Lee Fang of Republic Report.

 

MacKenzie previously worked for Congress as a senior policy staffer with the Senate Armed Services Committee, before joining Northrop Grumman in 2005.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Exclusive: Northrop Grumman Awards Lobbyist $500K Bonus Weeks Before Becoming Low-Paid Congressional Staffer Shaping Military Policy (by Lee Fang, Republic Report)

Is Money Wasted on Nuclear Weapons being Driven by Lobbyists? (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)