Official: Obama campaign refusing to pay bill from 2008 rally

WLS-AM ^ | 10-19-12 | John Dempsey

[bigbob]

President Obama's campaign has raised millions of dollars, but officials in Springfield Illinois are still griping about an upaid bill from a 2008 campaign rally.

When he was a candidate in August of 2008, Barack Obama used Springfield as a backdrop to introduce Joe Biden as his running mate. However Springfield Alderman Frank Edwards tells WLS that the Obama campaign has refused to pay $55,000 it owes in police overtime costs:

"If you're going to go after your citizens for bills they owe you then everybody's in. And that's just kind of the way I look at it. I think if the Obama campaign owes us money they ought to pay it."

Edwards says the Obama campaign has given him and other Springfield officials the runaround when they have asked to be paid what is owed.

He also says with Obama planning to hold his election night rally next month at McCormick Place in Chicago, he would advise Mayor Rahm Emanuel to demand all payments upfront, for any costs Chicago taxpayers might incur:

"That's exactly what I'd do. It would be no different than if you, a private individual, went and had an event somewhere and you didn't pay your bill, you didn't pay your catering bill, you didn't pay the rental hall. Anybody that goes to rent you a facility is going to be a little leery of you because you haven't paid your bill. I'd be especially leery now because if he doesn't win re-election his campaign's gonna have debt. And you're gonna be at the bottom of the pile."

Edwards says there also appears to be some confusion about whether the campaign or the Secret Service is responsible for the costs.

[bigbob]

The Chicago Way -- take what you need and screw the rest. Thuggery at it's best.

Of course Obama has no interest in setting foot in Illinois again after he leaves office, so what does he care what officials in the states capitol city think?

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The One forgot to pay the bill. He must have Romnesia.

[skeeter]

Obama doesn’t pay his fair share.

[Michael.SF.]

These two stories were published a week apart this past July:

Obama spoke at a private home in Corona del Mar in February, and Romney held his May fundraiser at the Balboa Bay Club. The $35,000 bill for Obama was more than three times as much as Romney's.

Compare to:

Romney campaign pays $10,441 bill to Newport Beach

Obama’s excuse: “You didn’t bill that.”

[rhinohunter]

Makes you wonder how many other localities he stiffed but you will never hear about it because they are loyal libs and will never speak negative of their messiah.

[Figment]

Good luck trying to collect. You can get a judgement against him,enforcing it is a different matter. The dude is a scumbag grifter from the get go

[George from New England]

AND ...

How many in the media ‘write-off’ advertising charges that Demorats never pay for campaign ads.

[lowbridge]

Bump

[tflabo]

Sorry Springfield, IL--- anything south of Crook County is SOL concerning the Bam. The boy king picked your city so feel honored enough partaking of his shared glory. Now pony donkey up your own dineros.

[tflabo]

Sorry Springfield, IL--- anything south of Crook County is SOL concerning the Bam. The boy king picked your city so feel honored enough partaking of his shared glory. Now pony donkey up your own dineros.