ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
By Kevin Freking
January 18, 2001
WASHINGTON -- Exclusive parties and receptions are planned for the biggest donors to the presidential inaugural, but officials at Stephens Inc. don't plan to be among the revelers, even though the Little Rock investment company gave the maximum allowable, $100,000, to help underwrite the celebration.
Warren Stephens, the company's president and chief executive officer, is "not aware of all that's being done, because he's not coming to any of it," Stephens spokesman Frank Thomas said.
Nor is anybody else with the company planning to attend, but Thomas will go to some smaller events specifically tied to Arkansas, such as the Arkansas State Society ball tonight and a reception Arkansas' U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson is having before the swearing-in Saturday.
Thomas said Stephens Inc. made its inaugural donation because Warren Stephens "agrees philosophically with George W. Bush's positions. He hopes the new president will work to reduce taxes to keep the economy strong, as well as support free trade and NAFTA."
Stephens Group gave another $215,000 to the Republican Party during the 1999-2000 election cycle, Federal Election Commission records show.
The exclusive events for top inaugural donors include a candlelight dinner tonight with those who have been nominated to serve in the president-elect's Cabinet. Guests will take home crystal candleholders bearing the inaugural seal. On Friday, a smaller reception with the president-elect is scheduled at the Library of Congress.
America Online, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Dow Chemical, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Major League Baseball were among the $100,000 contributors. PepsiCo Chairman Roger Enrico gave $100,000 in the name of PepsiCo and $100,000 in the name of FritoLay, a subsidiary, successfully one-upping the $100,000 given by Barclay T. Resler, who is in charge of government relations for Coca-Cola.
Some groups, such as Common Cause, a Washington organization that focuses on campaign-finance reform, have been critical of the way this year's private inaugural events are being underwritten.
"The initial list of donors to the Presidential Inaugural Committee confirms our worst fears about the potential for the inauguration to become yet another opportunity for wealthy corporate honchos to be able to purchase face time with the next president and vice president," said Scott Harshbarger, president of Common Cause.
"This kind of fund raising shows that the very low standards set by the outgoing administration have become institutionalized and that President-elect Bush is taking a pass on a valuable opportunity to change the way business is done in Washington."
The inaugural committee's goal is $30 million, which will pay for such events as the "Concert Celebrating America's Youth" and "Laura Bush Celebrates America's Authors." The goal is based on what was raised for prior inaugurals, said Michele Stember, a spokesman for the committee.
Stember said Bush will spend some extra time with the biggest donors but many of them are longtime friends of his.
Stephens Inc. was the only Arkansas company listed among the big donors, and other Arkansas connections to the inauguration are few.
H. Lee Scott, president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Inc., was among the 36 business executives invited to meet with Bush in Austin earlier this month.
And Lee Colwell, director of the University of Arkansas' Criminal Justice Institute and the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, is among the advisers to the transition team.
Colwell, a former associate director of the FBI, said Wednesday that he's among 15 to 20 people advising on law enforcement and the criminal justice system. The group has not met, but, individually, members have been asked to review matters that need to be addressed by the attorney general, as well as issues the president may need to know about.
An example Colwell offered was whether there should be a "terrorism czar," somebody at the Department of Justice whose sole responsibility would be to assess the threat of terrorism and the country's competency to respond.
[End of Transcript]
Oh my God, they were talking about a "terroism czar" before 9/11. Ok that is proof positive that 9/11 was a conspiracy./sarcasm
I guess it wouldn't dent your tin foil that a "terrorism czar" has been talked about for years before 9/11.
Oh no that would get in the way of your conspiracy.