Subject: FLAG: White House Press Briefing 05-19-16
From: "Debose, Levi" <[email-masked]>
To: "Miranda, Luis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 May 2016 14:43:44 -0700

Hey Luis,
You popped up in the Press Briefing today and I wasn't sure if I should include this in the notes or not. Transcript is below.

POTUS stressed that there should be no lobbyists in the administration. How does he feel about when they leave the administration?

*         Restrictions didn't consider to incoming applications

*         There are limitations that apply to former administration officials

Susan: Does the WH advise people that are leaving to remind them of that and their requirements?

JE: There is a part of the out-boarding process you are reminded of the commitments that you made on the way in that would limit your job prospects on the way out. And look, many people have raised concerns about how historically there has been a revolving door between the federal government and K Street and POTUS' efforts that he initiated on his first day in office closed that revolving door, both in terms of people it has on people entering the government, but also based on restrictions that people committed to on their way out.

Susan: It's not just K Street that people are going to. If anyone left the WH that wanted to lobby on behalf of engagement in Cuba, should they have registered to lobby?

JE: Well again, it seems like you are talking about a specific case and I can walk you through the specific case.

Susan: Luis Miranda left the WH and he went to the 'Trinlin' Group. From what I understand he did contact and engage the WH on that issue repeatedly, and from what I understand there were no lobbying records to show for that. I have notes on this, but there has been a lot of discussion about that narrative this week (Iran), but there was little to no discussion about the Cuba timeline. I want to know the transparency on those negotiations. So that's what I am asking about.

JE: Let's take a look and see if we can provide you with additional information, but I don't think that any of that disclosure would apply to the administration, but we can take a look.

Susan: To Luis Miranda specifically?

JE: He doesn't work here anymore. Contact him.

Susan: Right, so, that's why I am asking. I tried to contact him.

Is it important for the WH to have some level, on the Cuba issue, surprise on that issue? Is the WH right to engage in diplomacy behind the scenes before announcing a major initiative like trying to normalize relations with Cuba or another country?

JE: Yeah, that is appropriate and it applies to other breakthroughs that the US has achieved in recent years.  We were negotiating to secure the release of Americans that were unjustly held in Iran. That is not something that we discussed extensively in the past. When the US worked behind the scenes in China to fight for climate change, the results of those negotiations were criticized by many in the public. But, the US enjoyed great benefits in the end. Those type of negotiations are most effective when they are done behind the scenes.