Barack Obama's aides on Tuesday promised the "most open and transparent" transfer of power in history, unveiling new rules limiting the role of lobbyists as he puts together his administration.
Both Obama and his defeated Republican rival John McCain railed against lobbyists during the general election campaign, accusing them of peddling favors and influence to sway lawmakers in a Washington culture of corruption.
"President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to change the way Washington works and curb the influence of lobbyists," transition co-chair John Podesta told reporters.
"During the campaign, federal lobbyists could not contribute to or raise money for the campaign.
"Today, the president-elect is taking those commitments even further by announcing the strictest, and most far reaching ethics rules of any transition team in history."
Obama will not allow lobbyists who petition the federal government to do any such work while working with the transition.
The guidelines will also prevent anyone who has acted as a lobbyist over the last 12 months from working on any policy area in the transition in which they had been active.
Anyone who works on the transition and then becomes a lobbyist will be prohibited from approaching the Obama administration for 12 months in the area in which they worked.
Federal lobbyists will also not be allowed to contribute financial donations to the transition effort.
