Former top NCUA aide John McKechnie told a group of Ohio creditunion leaders last week that the climate in Washington is akin tothe Land of Oz.

Meanwhile, McKechnie has signed up the Missouri Credit UnionAssociation as a client for his Washington lobbying firm. Helefthis NCUA position as director of congressional and publicaffairs on March 4.

In a speech last week at the Ohio Credit Union League's annualconvention about how to effectively get the CU message out, hecompared the tone in D.C. to the “Wizard of Oz.”

He said both the congressional and regulatory scene “had beenchanged by the financial market upheaval, and I try to remindpeople that the situation is like the scene from the 'Wizard of Oz'where the picture changed from black and white to color, only inthis case, the picture changed from color to black and white.”

In other words, McKechnie said, “The landscape suddenly becamevery black and white in terms of how financial institutions areviewed. Everything became a question of safety and soundness andrisk mitigation.”

McKechnie said the Missouri association is one of severalfinancial-related clients he represents on behalf of TotalSpectrum, the Washington firm where he is now senior vicepresident. The MCUA said McKechnie “joining us (is) a prizedopportunity to ramp up our political advocacy.”

McKechnie said he was not at liberty to name the other clients.“I have to leave it up to them,” he said.