Oh, by the way, Obama is selling access to the White House
Guy Benson, TH May 20, 2016
http://libertyunyielding.com/2016/05/20/oh-way-obama-selling-access-white-house/ This story from The Hill, based on a new report from a transparency-minded organization, falls more into the “friendly reminder” category than the “bombshell revelation” column. You may recall that following President Obama’s re-election in 2012, his campaign apparatus was transformed into a supposedly “independent,” non-partisan organization devoted to advancing his second term agenda. The notion that Obama for America could rebrand itself as ‘Organizing for Action’ and receive 501(c)4 tax-free status as a nonprofit — especially in light of the IRS targeting scandal — should be preposterous on its face, yet it’s reality. This “outside” group operates BarackObama.com and the @BarackObama twitter handle. It also declared its explicit intention to literally sell access to the White House and Obama himself. Flashback to 2013:
Next month, Organizing for Action will hold a “founders summit” at a hotel near the White House, where donors paying $50,000 each will mingle with Mr. Obama’s former campaign manager, Jim Messina, and Mr. Carson, who previously led the White House Office of Public Engagement. Giving or raising $500,000 or more puts donors on a national advisory board for Mr. Obama’s group and the privilege of attending quarterly meetings with the president, along with other meetings at the White House. Moreover, the new cash demands on Mr. Obama’s top donors and bundlers come as many of them are angling for appointments to administration jobs or ambassadorships.
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