In the same article, Mark Malloch Brown, Kofi Annan's chief of staff at the United Nations, described "The Sun" as "a pimple on the backside of American journalism." According to Sherman, Brown "accepts that the paper's obsession with the UN translates into influence ... he admitted "The Sun" "does punch way above its circulation number, on occasion". He goes on to say, "Clearly amongst its minuscule circulation were a significant number of diplomats. And so it did at times act as some kind of rebel house paper inside the UN. It fed the gossip mills and what was said in the cafeterias." Brown's insult was in the context of "The Sun"s reporting of the UN's central role in the Saddam Hussein Oil-for-Food scandal.