Senate Staffer's Lobbying Side Gig for Meta Raises Ethics Concerns
A senior staffer for Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Robert Skjonsberg, is reportedly working as a lobbyist for Meta and other prominent clients, an arrangement that ethics experts are questioning due to potential conflicts of interest. Skjonsberg, who has served Senator Rounds for over a decade, is registered to lobby the South Dakota Legislature for more than a dozen clients, including Meta, Altria, the Freedom Foundation, and various agriculture trade groups. He is also listed as a co-owner and founding member of 605 Strategies, a South Dakota-based government affairs firm. Senator Rounds' office stated that their general counsel consulted with the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics, which provided guidance to ensure no conflict of interest exists, and that this guidance is being followed. However, critics argue that such dual roles inherently create conflicts, as a staffer is expected to work for the public while simultaneously representing private interests for compensation. 
