Ex-NATO Commander Trades Military Power for Lobbying Power

"General James L. Jones, who retired last month as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe, has joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as a lobbyist," reports O'Dwyer's. He "will head the Institute for Energy, which is to present itself as a grassroots organization." The new energy group will be similar to the Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform, which "seeks to diminish the clout of trial lawyers and reduce the impact of class action lawsuits on businesses." Jones will focus on global warming and try to "unify energy stakeholders behind a common strategy" for affordable and secure power, according to Chamber president Tom Donohue. Jones previously "served as military liaison to Congress and worked closely with" Senator John McCain. At NATO, Jones played a leading role in such "out-of-area missions" as Afghanistan.