Watchdog groups give Obama high marks on ethics and transparency

A coalition of watchdog and reform groups gave President Barack Obama's administration high marks for its efforts to increase transparency in its first year.

The report, which measures the reforms undertaken by the administration on lobbying and ethics rules and disclosures, praises the Obama administration for historically strong rules in those areas.

"The cumulative effect of the Administration's actions has been to adopt the strongest and most comprehensive lobbying, ethics and transparency rules and policies ever established by an Administration to govern its own activities," concludes the group, which includes Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters and U.S. PIRG.

The group's report card gave the White House an "A" on its lobbying/revolving door rules, as well as in areas of "open government" and "reverse revolving door restrictions." The administration received a "B"for its lobbyist gift ban, preventions against lobbyists from serving on advisory boards, and restrictions on seeking stimulus funds. The White House received no grade in its restrictions against seeking financial bailouts.

"The new rules and policies have begun the difficult process of changing the way business is done in Washington," the groups said in their report. "President Obama deserves recognition and high praise for the ethics, lobbying and transparency rules put in place for the Executive Branch during his first year in office."