'A potential gold mine' for summit planner

By JOSH MEYER and ANDREW RESTUCCIA
06/25/2018 05:08 AM EDT

... Hagin’s partnership with Atkiss since joining the Trump White House has drawn attention in the tight-knit community of presidential trip planners. Last month, some complained when Hagin’s former business partner was tapped for an even more high-profile and sensitive assignment than planning the Saudi trip – working as his on-site deputy in orchestrating the historic nuclear summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

It’s common for the White House to farm out the intensive planning known as “advance” work to outsiders, who like Atkiss often work as volunteers. Atkiss, who worked as an advance staffer in the George W. Bush administration before becoming a private security consultant, is widely recognized in Washington as an experienced and capable advance man, and is frequently quoted as an expert on overseas trip planning.

But by tapping Atkiss, 41, for such sensitive and influential positions, Hagin may be helping him gain an edge in drumming up business for Command by affording him easy access to foreign governments and private individuals who could help the firm win future security and consulting contracts, current and former U.S. officials told POLITICO.

“Any way you look at it, it looks bad. If it were me, I would advise against it,” said Marilyn Glynn, who was acting director of the Office of Government Ethics under Bush ...

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/25/trump-summit-planner-atkiss-667933