Bob Kerrey: “again, I say to colleagues there is a three-part test that one has to go through in this regard: A, do you want an…”

“again, I say to colleagues there is a three-part test that one has to go through in this regard: A, do you want an oversight board; B, who do you want on the board; and, C, how are you going to deal with apparent conflicts of interest? The conflict of interest issue is a very serious issue and, indeed, our committee, in order to confirm Mr. Rossotti, had to deal with that. We wrote an agreement, a letter, I believe, of understanding between Mr. Rossotti, a private sector individual with significant private sector interests who was willing to come in and serve his country in the Government. I talk to colleagues all the time about one of the problems we have in Government today is it is getting harder and harder to get anybody to serve. Why? Because there is a perception that as soon as you come in and work for the Government that somehow you are going to be the crook. I would be real careful with some of the rhetoric on this particular issue.”