(Information in the following story is from: WISH-TV, http://www.wishtv.com/)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana ethics watchdog is crying foul after Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma hired a Statehouse lobbyist to work on his staff.

WISH-TV reported Wednesday that Bosma had hired Matt Whetstone to work as the chamber’s parliamentarian or chief procedural aide. Whetstone is taking a break from his job as a lobbyist at Krieg DeVault to work for the state. He was a state representative until he left in 2007 to become a lobbyist.

Common Cause’s Julia Vaughn tells the station that Bosma’s decision “doesn’t pass the smell test.” Vaughn says it’s troubling a lobbyist would have behind-the-scenes access to lawmakers.

Bosma told WISH-TV in a statement he hired Whetstone because he “understands the House rules and how to execute them.”