NEW YORK: Kevin Varney, chief of staff at the Export-Import Bank for Obama’s first term, joined Boeing as a director this month, according to his LinkedIn page.
Boeing is by far the largest recipient of Export-Import Bank subsidies — typically benefitting from about 40 percent of all Ex-Im financing. The charter for Ex-Im, a federal agency often called “Boeing’s Bank,” will expire at the end of June unless Congress renews it. Conservatives are fighting to let the Bank die. Boeing — along with the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and some bank lobbyists — is leading the charge for reauthorization.
Varney left Ex-Im in 2013 and joined a consultancy called 32 Advisors, founded by banker and Obama golfing buddy Robert Wolf. RedState has a story on the many revolving door connections between 32 Advisors and Ex-Im, but the new detail is that Varney has jumped to Boeing.
Kevin Varney leads the International Operations team on Boeing Commercial Airplane issues, including international aviation policy and program issues, international aviation finance and sanctions issues, and U.S. government advocacy for BCA sales. In coordination with Legislative Affairs, Kevin also provides Executive Branch notifications of Boeing’s international defense sales.
