Professor James Thurber, the director of AU’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, is facing public scrutiny after the center ran an ad thanking a long-time guest speaker and part-time instructor for his work with AU students, leading some to accuse him of a possible conflict of interest.
Thurber has known the guest speaker Jack Bonner for years and recently began working as an ethics adviser for Bonner’s lobbying firm, Bonner & Associates, after the firm ran into some problems with Congress over the summer. According to Thurber and a spokesperson for Bonner & Associates, he does not receive any compensation from the firm.
Bonner, however, receives compensation from AU for teaching at the CCPS, according to Thurber.
Five days after an Oct. 30 Congressional hearing investigating Bonner & Associates’ misconduct, the CCPS placed an ad in the Capitol Hill-focused newspaper, Roll Call, thanking Bonner for “15 years of teaching excellence [at the center].” The ad goes on to say, “Students of the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute are grateful for the knowledge, insight and years of experience you bring to the university.”
Thurber’s connection to both the CCPS and Bonner & Associates has prompted at least one media outlet to question whether there is a potential conflict of interests for the AU professor.
Talking Points Memo, a left-leaning political Web site, posted a story on its Web site Nov. 4, questioning whether it was ethical for an organization directed by Thurber to be running supportive ads for someone by whom he was employed. TPM also raised issue with Thurber’s ability to stay “independent” from Bonner after the two have grown close after years of cooperation between them.
Many credit Bonner & Associates for creating the concept of modern-day “grassroots” lobbying. However, his firm faced intense pressure on Capitol Hill after it was discovered that some letters that had passed to members of Congress over the summer were forged, The Hill reported.
The letters, under the supposedly official letterhead of the NAACP, the American Association of University Women and other organizations, warned lawmakers that these organizations had serious concerns over a climate bill up for vote in the House of Representatives. Bonner claimed in the Congressional hearing that one rogue employee was responsible for sending the letters and was fired immediately after the transgression was uncovered. At this same hearing, Bonner said that he would be hiring Thurber as an “independent ethics adviser,” The Hill reported.
Thurber said that he was originally offered compensation for his work with Bonner & Associates but turned it down because it would have been inappropriate, he said.
“When [Bonner] got into this trouble, I said ‘You need some ethics training down there.’ [Bonner] said, ‘I would like to pay you,’ and I said, ‘no,’” Thurber said.
Talking Points Memo and The Hill had originally reported that Bonner had hired Thurber for pay — although the author of TPM’s post on Thurber disputed that his article made this claim. After The Eagle contacted both Thurber and Bonner & Associates, it became clear that Thurber was not paid by Bonner but was instead offering ethical advice pro-bono.
Thurber said he will be more careful in the future.
“I’ve never had anything like this [happen to me] in 35 years [of working for AU],” he said. “I ultimately take responsibility for this, but the idea came from others who are very loyal to [Bonner] here. He’s well liked by staff and students.”
Senior Director of University Communications Camille Lepre offered the following official statement from AU:
“American University is aware of the ad and is looking into the facts of the situation. The university does not endorse individuals or organizations.”
The Eagle will update this story as the university provides more information.
You can reach this staff writer at cszold@theeagleonline.com.
