Dems' fundraiser raises ( .. questions. Google 'pay-to-play' / Boxer event closed to public?)

SFGate.com ^ | 11/13/09 | Carla Marinucci

[NormsRevenge]

A Democratic Party-sponsored "national innovation conference" to examine key policy and technology issues at Google's headquarters beginning today has critics charging that the $5,000-and-up ticket prices limit access to the event to Silicon Valley high rollers and raise the specter of "pay to play" politics.

Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica likened the event to Republicans holding an energy conference at an oil company headquarters.

The consumer rights group urged California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and four other senators to boycott the fundraiser sponsored by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Eric Schultz, communications director for the campaign committee, defended the event, saying in a statement, "It took Democrats seizing control of Congress to pass the strongest ethics and lobbying reform in history. All of our fundraising is fully transparent and follows the law."

The conference is not open to the public and requires a minimum $5,000 contribution to the committee. Campaign donations of more than $200 must be publicly reported under federal law.

According to invitations, the event today and Saturday will include a host of A-list venture capitalists, CEOs and tech insiders, who are scheduled to participate in panels exploring health care, the environment, technology and other issues.

"A closed donor-funded event is an inappropriate place for senators to discuss matters affecting public policy. .. " said Jaime Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, ..

He argued that even as the Senate debates issues concerning Google, Microsoft and other tech giants, the event will deliver "Silicon Valley high rollers a private audience ... that will define the terms of the policy debate in a vacuum."

A Google spokesman said this week that the firm was selected as a site and rented its facilities to the campaign committee for the conference.

[concerned about politics]

Google is way too far to the left for my taste. They'll advertise for the left wing politicians, but right wing advertisements are "too divisive."

I use www.bing.com. It's classier.

[AmericanGirlRising]

I use altavista.com and love it.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

"bing.com"



famlis.com combines Bing & Google without contributing to their leftist causes.