<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55244987.cms" /> <keyword id="6356895" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyrus-Mistry">Cyrus Mistry</keyword> is now being blamed for orchestrating leaks. He has been slammed for the issue by <keyword id="129235" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ronen-Sen">Ronen Sen</keyword>, the head of nomination and remuneration committee at <keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword>.<br />
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"I have not and will not comment on the veracity or otherwise of confidential and internal documents being leaked in a selective and motivated manner by "sources close to the former chairman", contrary to norms governing privileged information. I leave it to you to arrive at your own conclusions on whether these orchestrated leaks, unless denounced by him, will enhance or further diminish the confidence of his fellow directors on the board of Tata Sons," Ronen Sen, who is an independent director of Tata Sons and an ex-ambassador to US, told ET.<br />
<br /> "I will also not stoop to the level of the unidentified 'person' 'close to the former chairman' who has implicitly questioned my integrity and explicitly alleged that I, and another respected colleague on the board, of 'clearly having failed to apply their mind independently and discharge their fiduciary duty' by dignifying the charge with a response. The implied assumption that there were no developments between the meeting of the <keyword id="3725002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="nomination-remuneration-committee">Nomination &amp; Remuneration Committee</keyword> and the Board meeting on the 24th October is also naive to put it mildly," he added. Earlier there were claims that Mistry was lauded for his performance just four months before he was fired. . In the meeting, Sen reportedly said that judging by his experience garnered from site visits, Mistry had earned the respect not only of CEOs and senior management but also operational personnel.<br />
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It was also reported that Sen backed Mistry’s ouster.

Cyrus Mistry orchestrated the leak of confidential documents: Ronen Sen

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55032095.cms" style="height: 600px; width: 800px;" /><keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword> board replaced <keyword id="6356895" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyrus-Mistry">Cyrus Mistry</keyword> as chairman and <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> will take over as an interim chairman for four months.<br />
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A selection committee has been formed to appoint the new chairman. The committee comprises Ratan Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra, Ronen Sen and Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, as per the criteria in the Articles of Association of Tata Sons.<br />
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The committee has been mandated to complete the selection process in four months. As per the sources, the principle shareholders recommended change of leadership and removal of Mistry as the chairman. It is said the leadership has been changed for long term gains.<br />
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No change in the CEOs of the operating companies. The board is yet to decide on the fate of Group Executive Council.<br />
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Mistry was named Chairman of Tata Sons in 2012.



Ratan
Tata back as Tata Sons Chairman, Cyrus Mistry replaced

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55035201.cms" /><br />
<br /> Cyrus <keyword id="6391150" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mistry">Mistry</keyword>’s tenure at Tata has come to an abrupt end making it the shortest tenure at Tata. Mistry belongs to <keyword id="667514" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shapoorji">Shapoorji</keyword> Pallonji, which is the single largest shareholder in <keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword> with 18.4 per cent stake. Shapoorji and <keyword id="631349" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pallonji-Group">Pallonji Group</keyword>, the majority shareholder in the <keyword id="6355725" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group">Tata Group</keyword>, has termed Cyrus Mistry's ouster from Tata Sons as illegal. It said it will contest the move, adding that the decision to remove Mistry was not unanimous. This was confirmed by senior lawyer Mohan Parasaran.<br />
<br /> About 66 per cent of the equity capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts endowed by members of the Tata family. The largest of these trusts are the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> Trust, which were created by the families of the sons of Jamsetji Tata, the Founder.<br />
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Out of the nine board members, 8 members voted. Six voted for Mistry's ouster and two abstained, according to ET Now. The committee will include Ratan Tata, Ronen Sen, Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra. The decision has been taken after the board meeting today. There were no reasons given for the change of leadership of the man who was brought in with much fanfare but it is believed that Tata Sons was unhappy with Mistry's approach of shedding non¬profit businesses, including the conglomerate's steel business in Europe, and concentrating only on cash cows. Also Read: Was Tata Sons unhappy with Mistry's approach of focusing only on cash cows? "Tata Sons today announced its board has replaced Mr Cyrus P Mistry as Chairman of Tata Sons. The decision was taken at a board meeting held here today," a Tata Sons statement said<br />
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Shapoorji and Pallonji Group calls Mistry’s ouster “illegal”, to contest decision

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55200803.cms" /> Four months before <keyword id="6356895" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cyrus-Mistry">Cyrus Mistry</keyword> was fired, the remuneration committee of the <keyword id="617644" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-Sons-Board">Tata Sons board</keyword> lauded Cyrus Mistry’s performance and also recommended a salary hike.<br />
<br /> “The committee reviewed Mistry’s performance and recorded its recognition of his significant contribution across group companies. The company also appreciated Mistry’s multifaceted initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting cohesive functioning of the group in accordance with its distinctive values,” a source told ET, adding “the committee then agreed to recommend the board of <keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword> an increase in Mistry’s basic salary and commission.”<br />
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This comes as a surprise as the Tata Sons board has maintained it removed Mistry over his non-performance and deviation from Tatas ethos. The Tata Sons board members have also accused Mistry of taking wrong decisions in the past, which had put the group in a tight spot.<br />
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Meanwhile, ET quoted sources as saying the group’s board was offering a bigger increment to Mistry but he insisted that his salary shouldn’t exceed the 6% offered to his top team, the Group Executive Team.<br />
<br /> The Tata Sons directors on the nomination panel are Ronen Sen, the chairman of the committee and independent director, Vijay Singh, the nominee director representing <keyword id="6383155" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Trusts">Tata Trusts</keyword>, and Farida Khambata, independent director.<br />
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Sources told ET that during a meeting held on June 28, Sen said that Mistry, if judged on his past experience garned from site visit, he not only earned the respect of CEOs and senior management but also operational personnel.<br />
<br /> "The board in its collective wisdom decided that it may be appropriate to consider a change for the long term interests of Tata Sons and the <keyword id="6355725" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group">Tata Group</keyword>," group spokesperson <keyword id="269793" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Debasis-Ray">Debasis Ray</keyword> told ET.<br />
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"Although over a week has passed, the board of directors of Tata Sons is not forthcoming as to why Mr Mistry was unceremoniously treated this way without regard to any values. One lone trustee of Tata Trusts has suggested his removal was for non-performance. If at all this ostensible reason is to be believed, and then the directors who were part of the committee who voted in favour of his removal clearly failed to apply their mind independently and discharge their fiduciary duty," a person close to Mistry told ET.<br />
(image: Indiatimes)<br />


Mistry’s performance was lauded by Tata Sons Board’s remuneration panel-reports

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55702280.cms" />After <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Cyrus+Mistry&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Cyrus </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Cyrus+Mistry&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Mistry</a>’s removal as the chairman of <keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword>, the Tata group has been shortlisting contenders for the top post and Noel Naval Tata, the half brother of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Ratan+Tata+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Ratan Tata</a> and the current Managing Director of <keyword id="241718" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-International">Tata International</keyword>, has emerged to be a contender for the top job at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Tata+Sons&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Tata Sons</a>.<br />
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According to sources, his name is amongst the few internal candidates like N Chandrasekaran and Ralf Speth who have emerged as potential candidates shortlisted for the race for the top job at India's largest conglomerate.<br />
<br /> Post Mistry’s sacking, Tata Sons’ board brought back 78-year old <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> for 4 months as the interim chairman. In that period, the 5 member panel comprising Tata himself along with TVS Group chairman, Bain Capital's Amit Chandra, Ronen Sen and Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, have been mandated to finalise a candidate.<br />
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There are some external names in the list too. These include Former Unilever COO Harish Manwani.<br />
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However, sources suggest it’s still premature to suggests anything definitive. It has also being said that that Manwani or Chandra have also so far not met the panel for any interviews.<br />
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"The list is a small one and Noel is certainly in it. He is someone who is fully aware of the Tata ethos and value systems that has come under strain in recent times," an official keeping a close tab on the ongoing developments told ET.<br />
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Noel (59) is the Chairman of Trent, the retail arm of the group, having served as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director until August 12, 2010. He is also on the board of Titan and Voltas and a director and since 2010, the non-executive chairman of Tata Investment Corporation (TIC).<br />
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Noel Tata emerges as top contender to be the next Tata Sons Chairman

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/585d8079f10a9a13018b52c3-2400/ap16351705535644.jpg" alt="Samantha Power UN" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews" data-mce-caption="U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power speaks." /><p class="source"><span>AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews</span></p><p class="caption">U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power speaks.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The UN Security Council on Friday passed a resolution demanding that Israel halt building settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, a move that was permitted by the US's abstention.</p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6MGOYI02BXjRkRfcWNtelItMG8/view">The resolution</a>, put forward by by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Senegal, passed with 14 members of the council voting in favor. The US abstained, refusing to use its power as a sitting member of the Security Council to veto. In doing so, the Obama administration defied pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump, along with bipartisan members of Congress.</p><p>The resolution says that Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories have "no legal validity" and constitute a "flagrant violation under international law." The settlements are a "major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State (sic) solution," and a, "just, lasting and comprehensive peace," the resolution says. </p><p>Members of the council clapped and cheered as the vote passed. It was the first time in 36 years the UN adopted a resolution on Israeli settlements.</p><p>Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, condemned the resolution, calling it a "provocative action," that "must be dealt with sternly and forcefully."</p><p>Graham said he would work to form a bipartisan coalition to "suspend or significantly reduce United States assistance to the United Nations."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53a2a94d6bb3f7f21ffbfe7b-2400" alt="israel" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun " data-mce-caption="An Israeli soldier takes position during an operation to locate three missing teenagers, in the West Bank city of Hebron June 18, 2014." /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun </span></p><p class="caption">An Israeli soldier takes position during an operation to locate three missing teenagers, in the West Bank city of Hebron June 18, 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas <a href="https://www.cotton.senate.gov/?p=press_release&amp;id=565">said in a statement</a> that "<span>President Obama is personally responsible for this anti-Israel resolution."</span></p><p><span>"T<span>his resolution hurts the prospects for a secure and just peace by targeting Israel for building homes in Jerusalem, its own capital, while not specifically addressing Palestinian incitement of and financial support for terrorism," he said.</span></span></p><p><span><span>Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN, told the Security Council that the US would not have let the resolution pass if it didn't address "counterproductive" measures by Palestinians to the peace process. </span></span></p><p><span><span>The passage of the resolution comes near the end of an often contentious relationship between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. An unnamed Israeli official accused Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry of being behind the resolution earlier on Friday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-official-obama-and-kerry-behind-un-vote-to-end-settlements-2016-12">Reuters</a> reported.</span></span></p><p><span><span>"<span>The US administration secretly cooked up with the Palestinians an extreme anti-Israeli resolution behind Israel's back which would be a tailwind for terror and boycotts," the official said. </span></span></span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-tower-chaos-traffic-police-security-2016-12">This is what it's really like at Trump Tower - which is disrupting life in New York</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="MxeDNiODE6eDH0NShBxTGWzBZ7iZA1BG" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'MxeDNiODE6eDH0NShBxTGWzBZ7iZA1BG',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The UN just passed a resolution censuring Israel - and a US abstention made it possible

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55537927.cms" /> <br />
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The bitter feud between <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Cyrus+Mistry+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Cyrus Mistry </a>and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Tata+group+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Tata group </a>has been in the headlines for quite sometime. Mistry may now challenge the power of Tata Trusts to influence business decisions at <keyword id="6355725" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group">Tata Group</keyword>.<br />
<br /> The trust, which is controlled by <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword>, owns nearly two-third of <keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword> and the rest is owned by Mistry family's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Shapoorji+Pallonji+group.+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Shapoorji Pallonji group. </a>This has led to concerns about the governance structure of the trusts.<br />
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"A charitable trust is allowed to hold investments but cannot directly be involved in business plans. It is about institutionalising a role and ensuring proper governance. The chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts should be different, so that nobody has unbridled power," an executive close to Mistry told ET.<br />
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The trust, however, said that it doesn’t interfere with day to day activities of Tata Sons but need certain information to make sure that the investments are safe.<br />
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"We don't interfere with the day-to-day governance of Tata Sons. There is certain information we require from Tata Sons to make sure our investments are safe as it the primary source of our philanthropic operations," said VR Mehta, a trustee on the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.<br />
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A few months before Mistry's ouster, directors on the nomination and remuneration committee (NRC) of Tata Sons - Ronen Sen, Vijay Singh and Farida Khambhata - said at a board meeting that it may be desirable to seek legal opinion on the interplay of relevant entities such as Tata Sons, Tata Trusts and group companies.<br />
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Mehta also said when Mistry over as the chairman of Tata Sons, a pact was signed between the holding company and the Tata Trusts clarifying the relationship between the two.<br />
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However, people close to Mistry have denied the existence of any such agreement.<br />
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Public trusts are usually barred from holding shares of commercial business by the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act's 1973 amendment. They are allowed to invest in banks and postal savings accounts and can otherwise lose tax exemptions.<br />
(image: IndiaTimes)<br />


Cyrus Mistry may drag Tata Trusts to court, challenge its power to influence business decisions

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56513649.cms" />When <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=N+Chandrasekaran&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">N. Chandrasekaran</a> was asked how he will handle manufacturing since he had no experience, his reply reminded the 5-member selection panel of the time when <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ratan+tata&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Ratan Tata</a> was named <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=tata+sons&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Tata Sons </a>Chairman.<br />
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"I cannot all by myself. I need a team to guide me,” Chandrasekaran replied.<br />
<br /> When <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> was taking over from JRD Tata, he had no experience in technology and was dependent on FC Kohli to build <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=TCS&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">TCS </a>into the group flagship.<br />
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ET quoted people involved in selection process saying that Chandrasekaran's answer made it evident he was ready to hit the ground running.<br />
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The selection committee interviewed three other serious contenders - Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth, Harish Manwani of Unilever and Sir George Buckley of the Smiths Group.<br />
<br /> So how Chandrasekaran, or Chandra, appointed? Well, before the <keyword id="46894" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-Sons">Tata Sons</keyword> board met to select the occupant for the corner office, the selection panel briefed the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) of the board about its unanimous choice. Some of the members of NRC - Tata himself, Ronen Sen and Venu Srinivasan - were also on the selection panel, so the meeting was brief. This was followed by a meeting of the entire board where Chandra, who arrived after addressing the media on TCS' quarterly results, was "officially, given the news. Sources said both Tata and Chandra made short speeches.<br />
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After the board meet at Bombay House, the group headquarters of the $103-billion conglomerate in south Mumbai, Chandra and fellow Tata Sons board member Amit Chandra drove back together to the TCS head office.<br />
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Pretty early on during selection interviews, the search panel came to the conclusion that, despite the global nature of the process, an internal candidate was to be preferred - one who understood the complexities and ethos of the House of Tatas.<br />
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"An external candidate would need some months to grapple with the diversity,” an old group associate told ET. Speth, while an internal candidate, was not an insider in the sense Chandra is.<br />
<br /> "Look at his value-creation track record and the scale of operations he manages at TCS along with his personal leadership traits and the respect he generates,” another official involved in the process told ET, adding “He has grown TCS substantially from what he inherited from S Ramadorai and helped it topple <keyword id="6354512" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> as the IT bellwether.”<br />
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Chandrasekaran has been instrumental in leading business transformation for many of his global clients. And that in turn has given him invaluable insights into customer centricity.<br />
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Under Chandrasekaran, TCS had identified a series of future leaders, so taking him out of the organisation would not have triggered a major dislocation.<br />
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His finance deputy was the obvious choice to follow in his footsteps.<br />
<br /> Now, as <keyword id="651163" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Sons-Chairman">Tata Sons Chairman</keyword>, Chandrasekaran's job will be to create his own brain trust at the earliest. So that would mean the long awaited group chief financial officer's position getting filled.<br />
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Some would even expect the creation of a vice-chairman's role - something that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cyrus+mistry&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Cyrus Mistry</a> had promised the Tata Sons board but never did.<br />
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"The selection panel or the board could not have done that for him. He has to lead that initiative,” a senior Tata Group official told ET.

Here’s how Tata Sons’ new Chairman N. Chandrasekaran was picked over 3 other contenders

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/592454a263914790008b5c0d-1032/rtx376zx.jpg" alt="Donald Trump" data-mce-source="Ronen Zvulun/Reuters" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump."><p class="source"><span>Ronen Zvulun/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Donald Trump.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>The chief ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush was baffled at the latest kerfuffle between the White House and the Office of Government Ethics.</p><p>On Monday, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/us/politics/trump-white-house-government-ethics-lobbyists.html?_r=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times reported</a> that President Donald Trump's White House refused to disclose to the OGE any ethics waivers granted to former lobbyists who now work in the administration.</p><p>Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the publication obtained a letter from Mick Mulvaney, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, to Walter Schaub, head of the OGE. The letter asked Schaub to withdraw a request he sent to federal agencies to obtain copies of all the waivers the administration has given.</p><p>The Trump administration claimed in the letter that Schaub did not have the legal authority to demand the waivers. Painter said that wasn't good enough.</p><p>"Is there any rationale that wasn't purely a legal argument?" Richard Painter, Bush's chief ethics lawyer from 2005 to 2007 and currently a University of Minnesota law professor, told Business Insider. "What's a rationale that is not a legal argument? I haven't heard it."</p><p>"So was there any good policy reason not to share waivers with the Office of Government Ethics?" he said.</p><p>Several former lobbyists and industry lawyers now hold administration jobs. The Times reported that Trump has hired ex-lobbyists at a rate that far surpassed his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, despite pledges to the contrary. Schaub, who was appointed to his role by Obama and is in the last year of his five-year term, told the Times the White House request was "extraordinary" and he has "never seen anything like it."</p><p>Without the waivers, the OGE, which provides ethical oversight of the executive branch, would have no way to know whether any former lobbyists are violating ethics statutes or have been excused by the White House. In a statement to the Times, the White House said the Obama appointee's request for the waivers was partisan <keyword id="6358883" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Politics">politics</keyword>.</p><p>Trump made ties between politicians and lobbyists a sticking point of his campaign, frequently promising to "drain the swamp." In late January, he signed an executive order that barred former lobbyists from working on matters that involved people and issues they worked with or on previously. In that order, Trump, like Obama before him, provided the option for himself to issue waivers to lobbyists as he sees fit. But that executive order did not contain language that made the waivers public.</p><p>Painter, who supported Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the general election, said the executive order also does not say whether those waivers are confidential.</p><p>"You know, if the president wants to revise the ethics executive order" to say that they are confidential, they "still should be shared by the Office of Government Ethics," Painter said. "But then the office would have to not disclose them. ... But the order did not say that the waivers were confidential."</p><p>"And so, in any event, it is critical to OGE's function ... that it knows what's going on in the agencies, including in the White House, with regards to ethics compliances and waivers," he added. "It's clearly within OGE's statutory mandate to gather this information. So, what is the reason for withholding it? There's no reason whatsoever for trying to keep the ethics waivers secret from the Office of Government Ethics. There's no justification for that. So I don't know why they're doing it."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5923f48c34911b89018b59c0-1279/donald trump.jpg" alt="Donald Trump" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst" data-mce-caption="U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about the apparent attack in Manchester, England, before his remarks alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem May 23, 2017."><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst</span></p><p class="caption">Trump.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The OGE, under the laws Painter referenced, has authority to make such a request of federal agencies. The Times reported that it is debated whether the White House itself is a "federal agency" that falls under the same requirements. Regardless, the letter from Mulvaney to Schaub made it clear the administration was halting the OGE's request for copies of the waivers issued throughout the administration by June 1 across all of the executive branch.</p><p>"This data call appears to raise legal questions regarding the scope of OGE's authorities," the letter read. "I therefore request that you stay the data call until these questions are resolved."</p><p>OMB also falsely claimed in a statement that the letter obtained by the Times was "leaked." It was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.</p><p><a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/shaub-ethics-rejects-white-house-block-waivers-lobbyists?utm_content=buffer3710c&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">On Monday</a>, Schaub wrote a letter to Mulvaney rejecting the White House's request that the OGE suspend its initial request for the waivers.</p><p>"The unusual nature of your letter highlights OGE's responsibility to lead the executive branch ethics program with independence, free from political pressure," Schaub wrote. "Accordingly, OGE declines your request to suspend its ethics inquiry and reiterates its expectation that agencies will fully comply with its directive by June 1, 2017. Public confidence in the integrity of government decision making demands no less."</p><p>"OGE is exercising its authority and independence appropriately," he later wrote. "OGE's April 28, 2017, directive is supported by ample legal authority and compliant with applicable procedures. I want to assure you that a request from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget is not something that I decline lightly."</p><p>In a call with Mulvaney on Monday night, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked the director to fulfill Schaub's request.</p><p>"There is absolutely no excuse for the administration to keep these waivers from the OGE or the American people," the New York Democrat said in a Tuesday statement on the call. "I also expressed to Director Mulvaney my deep frustration with President Trump's failure to keep his promise to 'drain the swamp,' and he assured me that he would take my concerns under consideration - I hope they make this change for the good of our country."</p><p>Paul S. Ryan, vice president of common cause and former executive director of the campaign legal center, called the move to block Schaub's request "an outrage and part of a disturbing pattern."</p><p>"OGE was created in the wake of the Watergate scandal to monitor ethics compliance, but the Trump administration is denying it the ability to do so," he said in a statement. "The OGE is charged with ensuring government compliance with ethical standards and it must be allowed to perform that duty. This is the latest example in a long line of troubling moves by the Trump administration to conduct the business of government in secret."</p><p>During the campaign, Trump <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/788853838191075328" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">made</a> "draining the swamp" and his opponents ties to lobbyists central to his message, particularly in the later weeks of his quest for office when he introduced the slogan.</p><p>He claimed that opponents such as Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida were all compromised by the influence lobbyists held over them.</p><p>"Crooked Hillary Clinton is bought and paid for by Wall Street, lobbyists and special interests," <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/754305404302139392" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump tweeted in July</a>. "She will sell our country down the tubes!"</p><p>"I am self-funding my campaign and am therefore not controlled by the lobbyists and special interests like lightweight Rubio or Ted Cruz!" <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/703601762876305409" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">he wrote last</a> February.</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/609823516670693379" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">And in June 2015</a>, he wrote: "Remember, politicians are all talk and no action - they will never be able to MAKE OUR COUNTRY GREAT AGAIN! Controlled by lobbyists &amp; donors."</p><p>Asked if the administration's refusal to provide the waivers violated Trump's ethics-related promises during the campaign, Painter said "of course it does."</p><p>"They put this executive order in and then they seek secret waivers and they won't even tell the Office of Government Ethics about the waiver," he said.</p><div class="feed-footer-wrapper"><div class="feed-footer"><h3>More from Allan Smith:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-lobbyist-ban-cabinet-waiver-oge-2017-5" rel="nofollow">'There's no reason whatsoever' for it: The Trump administration's latest battle with ethics officials is 'extraordinary'</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-trump-middle-east-muslim-world-2017-5" rel="nofollow">White House: Trump 'united the entire Muslim world in a way that it really hasn't been in many years' on his big trip</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bush-ethics-lawyer-trump-nixon-russia-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Bush ethics lawyer on report Trump asked intel officials to defend him on Russia: 'This is the mistake that Nixon made'</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/2016-electoral-map-trump-clinton-vote-precinct-2017-5" rel="nofollow">This incredibly detailed map contains a treasure trove of neat details about the 2016 presidential vote</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mike-pence-pac-president-trump-2017-5" rel="nofollow">A new Pence fundraising arm raised eyebrows, but Republicans insist it's not a sign of presidential ambitions</a></li></ul></div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/shattered-amie-parnes-why-hillary-clinton-lost-2016-election-trump-russia-comey-emails-2017-5">Here's the real reason why Clinton lost - it wasn't just emails and Russia</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="cxdjEzYjE6gfFZYaE5qxr78WiPpHCT19" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'cxdjEzYjE6gfFZYaE5qxr78WiPpHCT19',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "Ronen Sen" and got 9 results

Cyrus Mistry orchestrated the leak of confidential documents: Ronen Sen

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The UN just passed a resolution censuring Israel - and a US abstention made it possible

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BI India Bureau

'There's no reason whatsoever' for it: The Trump administration's latest battle with ethics officials is 'extraordinary'

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