Posted on 10/29/2009 11:12:06 PM PDT by Schnucki
President Barack Obama has been accused of betraying his campaign promise to change the culture of Washington by "selling" access to the White House to prominent donors.
Leaked Democratic National Committee documents showed the party had offered up to four briefings a year from senior presidential advisers in exchange for a personal donation of $30,400 or a commitment to raise $300,000 for the 2010 midterm elections.
They would also be entitled to "twice-monthly conference calls ... [and] contribute to shaping policy agendas", the documents said.
Major donors to Mr Obama's presidential campaign have already been rewarded with invitations to lavish parties at the White House for occasions such as July 4, St Patrick's Day or a recent celebration of Latino music.
Others were offered chance to use the residence's bowling alley or basketball court with the family and friends, according to an investigation by the The Washington Times.
Scott Thomas, former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission, said: "It's OK to have a big bash and people can have a nice piece of rubber chicken but where you actually start drawing people in who have given the money to the policy discussions – I think there ought to be some way to draw a line there."
Meredith McGehee, policy director at the non-partisan Campaign Legal Centre, said: "What is so striking with President Obama is that he ran on a platform of change. This is business as usual."
The president has repeatedly claimed his administration will be the "most transparent in history" but it has refused to publicise guest lists for major events at the White House. He has promised to make the visitors' log public, but only after the first eight months of his term.
Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said: "Candidate Obama pledged to clean
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I wonder who paid Obama off to declare Swine Flu a nation emergency
THREAD BUMP.
Senior Republicans demanded an investigation yesterday into reports that President Obama has given financial donors perks such as use of the White House cinema, golf games with the Commander-in-Chief and even the chance to shape policy.
The allegations that Mr Obama may have carried on the practice of rewarding top donors — Bill Clinton and George Bush were criticised for it — was also condemned by campaignfinance watchdogs. They said that the President appeared to have reneged on his promise to change the culture in Washington. The reports drew comparison to Mr Clinton’s controversial practice of allowing top donors to stay overnight in the Lincoln Bedroom, and Mr Bush’s offer of overnight stays in the White House and Camp David for those who raised more than $100,000 (£60,750). ...
Go figure. He’s a sell-out.
I theorized somewhere that it's a payoff to pharmaceuticals for cooperation either granted or soon to be forthcoming.
A habit learned from the Clintons!
Is this impeachable? What is an impeachable offense these days?
Money, money, money... Don’t you just love socialism when followers of Mao, who own factories in China, are romping through Washington’s bedroom screaming, “Flied lice and peanut sauce... where are the chicks with the kimonos and the Gucci girls. Where is my Mandarin duck!” While spilling their drink of Chivas Regal on Martha Washington’s quilt. Yes, money buys you the real thing, better than the real thing when Bono is there.
Seems to me this is just free advertising for the Obama team. Now corporate donors know what the product is and how much it costs.
coffee with the president
$50K
The pharmaceutical companies will have to give up a lot under his health reform bill. The swine flu is his gift to them so they can make some profits while it’s still possible.
We still need to find out which donors were in Air Force One when it buzzed New York City last spring.
Political whoredom.
I”M SHOCKED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOT !!!
So - - that means $0R0$ will be spending all his time in the WH.
“Others were offered chance to use the residence’s bowling alley “
I thought he had the bowling alleys removed because he couldn’t bowl, made a fool out of himself trying to. 32 in five frames IIRC.
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