Posted on 10/30/2009 6:35:45 PM PDT by Steelfish
October 30, 2009
President Obama Alleged To Have Given White House Perks To Top Donors
Tim Reid
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).
Most troubling, said critics, was that Mr Obama appeared to have allowed those who made large donations to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the fundraising arm of the Democratic Party, to have quarterly meetings with senior members of the Administration, twice-monthly conference calls and the ability “to contribute to shaping policy”.
Such a reward, outlined in internal DNC documents obtained by The Washington Times, would be given to donors in exchange for the maximum legal donation of $30,400, or willingness to raise $300,000 before the mid-term elections in November 2010.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, and Scott Thomas, former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission, both said that the “policy-shaping” perk was most worrying, because it gave the appearance of specific actions in return for money.
It also emerged that a number of top fundraisers who collected six-figure sums for Mr Obama’s presidential campaign, known as “bundlers”, had played golf....
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Well, I don't care so much about shaping policy, but really! -- the WH cinema and golf foursomes!!
The Whitehouse is for sale...or rent...Only RICH people need apply, as the price is out of reach for the middle class.
Why couldn’t, say, Rush Limbaugh bankroll a gaggle of spoilers?
“even the chance to shape policy.”
Well, the POTUS is an idiot, so SOMEONE has to shape policy.
Unfortunately, Gallup has him at 54% approval
Give him his healthcare bill and he’d probably let you sleep with Michelle. Whether that’s reward or punishment — you decide!
I still say we toss 'em all out. Start over from scratch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.