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In May 2009...
Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said Monday the special ethics waiver she recently received from the White House to lead the federal government's effort to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago was needed only out of an abundance of caution in trying to be transparent.

"We wanted to have one point of contact in the White House who is responsible to make sure everything runs smoothly," she told the Tribune after a Chicago fundraising event for Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). "Our goal is to try to win the bid."

Jarrett, who previously served as vice chair of Chicago 2016, needed the waiver because the White House ethics pledge prohibits appointees from dealing with matters "substantially related" to previous employers or clients.

The White House has said Jarrett's previous work for Chicago 2016 was voluntary and she has no ongoing financial relationship with the entity. She said her role will include trying to coordinate the involvement of various federal agencies in a successful bid.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/05/valerie-jarrett-olympics-chicago-ethics-waiver.html