President Barack Obama's senior advisor Valerie Jarrett has been granted a waiver to work with Chicago 2016. (Getty Images)Valerie Jarrett, a close friend and senior advisor to President Barack Obama, is now eligible to be part of the Chicago 2016 delegation to Lausanne in June, thanks to an ethics waiver from the White House.
Jarrett, the former vice chair of the bid, had been prohibited from working on the Chicago 2016 effort because of an ethics pledge requiring appointees and staff to refrain from dealing with previous employers or clients. However, Jarrett did represent the federal government during the IOC Evaluation Commission visit to Chicago in early April.
Although Chicago has not announced its team for the 2016 Candidate Cities Briefing for IOC members in Lausanne June 17-18, Jarrett is now free to "lead the White House's effort to support Chicago's bid to secure the 2016 Olympics," according to Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform. "Since the administration already plans on vigorously supporting the United States' sole 2016 Olympic bid, we felt that letting Valerie lead our efforts was strongly in the public interest."
Eisen added that that Jarrett had volunteered with Chicago 2016 and has no continuing financial relationship with the bid.
Chicago 2016 spokesman Patrick Sandusky tells Around the Rings that Jarrett's role is "still to be defined in terms of the day-to-day activities, but having her as an active part of the bid process is certainly helpful to us."
If Chicago wins the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Jarrett would head a special office to provide top-level support to Chicago and coordinate federal departments and agencies. The office would also make sure federal responsibilities are appropriately included in the federal budget.
Jarrett told the Chicago Tribune, "We wanted to have one point of contact in the White House who is responsible to make sure everything runs smoothly."
The Chicago bid has unprecedented backing from the White House. "Valerie will continue to be our lead advocate in Washington, along with the president, for support of the Olympic bid," Sandusky says. "She's someone who, given her past experience as vice chairman of the bid, has intimate knowledge of our plans and why we think the Games will be great in Chicago."
Summer Athletics Program Takes Off
Chicago 2016, World Sport Chicago, and Mayor Richard M. Daley helped launch a new summer youth athletics program aimed at increasing exposure and providing fundamental training in the sport.
Each of Chicago's 50 wards will recruit 50-75 young people to participate in Mayor Daley's Track Program. The volunteer-run program will include twice-a-week practices and meets each Saturday, with the championship meet on July 25.
"Under Mayor Daley's leadership, Chicago 2016 and World Sport Chicago have instituted a number of youth sport programs across the city and helped to expand countless others," said Patrick G. Ryan, chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016.
Written by Karen Rosen
For general comments or questions, click here
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
