New York magazine fails to disclose contributor used to work for Obama, White House

In March, when Reid Cherlin announced he was leaving his post as assistant press secretary at the White House to become a writer, Politico's Ben Smith called him "the Frank Rich of the West Wing."

Cherlin has had at least three pieces published by New York magazine since his departure from the Obama administration. And two of them--an interview with Elizabeth Warren, the president's outgoing special adviser overseeing the development of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and a breakdown of the $50 billion-worth of infrastructure projects in Obama's new jobs proposal--were directly related to his former employer.

None included a disclosure to readers that Cherlin worked for the Obama White House.

"We don't feel his former work presents a conflict with regard to these pieces," a spokeswoman for New York magazine told The Cutline. Cherlin did not immediately respond to a Facebook message.

It's worth noting that Cherlin--who was on the communications staff of Obama's 2008 campaign--does disclose his ties to Obama in his Twitter bio: "Former White House spokesman. Currently writing."

It's also worth noting that not all of Cherlin's work for New York magazine requires such a disclosure. His July 28, 2011 piece posted on the Daily Intel--"Coaxing the Capitol Hill Hotties Onto the 50 Most Beautiful List"--does not appear to be related to current administration policies.