Democratic donors rewarded with W.H. perks

Bush administration reportedly gave top GOP donors access to Cheney's energy task force
NY Times: 18 of energy industry's top donors to Republicans advised Cheney's energy task force. According to a March 1, 2002, New York Times report (accessed via Nexis), "[e]ighteen of the energy industry's top 25 financial contributors to the Republican Party advised Vice President Dick Cheney's national energy task force last year, according to interviews and election records." From the Times:

Bush reportedly invited donors to White House, Camp David, fundraisers, galas, and briefings

At least nine of Bush's biggest fund-raisers appear on the latest list of White House overnight guests, covering June 2002 through December 2003, and-or on the Camp David list, which covers last year. They include:

- Mercer Reynolds, an Ohio financier, former Bush partner in the Texas Rangers baseball team and former ambassador to Switzerland. Reynolds is leading Bush's campaign fund-raising effort. He was a guest at the White House and the Camp David retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains.

- Brad Freeman, a venture capitalist who is leading Bush's California fund-raising effort, has raised at least $200,000 for his re-election campaign and is also a major Republican Party fund-raiser. Freeman stayed at the White House.

- Roland Betts, who raised at least $100,000 for Bush in 2000, was a Bush fraternity brother at Yale and a Texas Rangers partner. Betts stayed at the White House and Camp David.

- William DeWitt, a Bush partner in the oil business and Texas Rangers who has raised at least $200,000 for Bush's re-election effort, stayed at the White House.

- James Francis, who headed the Bush campaign's 2000 team of $100,000-and-up volunteer fund-raisers and was a Bush appointee in Texas when Bush was governor. Francis was a White House guest.

- Joseph O'Neill, an oilman and childhood friend who introduced Bush to Laura Bush and raised at least $100,000 for each of Bush's presidential campaigns, stayed at the White House.

- Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and New York Gov. George Pataki, who each raised at least $200,000 for Bush's re-election campaign, were White House guests.

- James Langdon, who raised at least $100,000 for Bush, is a Washington attorney specializing in international oil and gas transactions. Langdon, whose clients include the Russian oil company Lukoil, is a member of Bush's foreign intelligence advisory board and served on Bush's 2000 presidential transition team on energy policy.

AP: Bush hosted "friend-raisers" for donors to campaign, RNC. According to an April 26, 2002, AP article (accessed via Nexis), Bush had hosted nearly 20 fundraisers for donors -- which he dubbed "friend-raisers" -- including one for 250 donors in Crawford, Texas. The AP reported: "The 250 donors represented the Republican National Committee's elite, and they've already dug deep. The RNC invited its 'Regents,' donors who have contributed $250,000 over the last two years and who helped carry Bush to the White House. He is counting on them to open their wallets for Republican candidates this year and for his own re-election campaign in 2004."

Previous administrations also rewarded donors
George H.W. Bush offered perks to donors. In a July 6, 1995, AP article (accessed via Nexis) about Clinton aides defending his administration's "offering presidential dinners and trade junkets to major donors," the AP noted that "[t]he Bush administration offered top donors contributing $92,000 special picture-taking sessions with President Bush, lunch with Vice President Dan Quayle, breakfast with GOP congressional leaders and an invitation to a reception with Cabinet members."

President Obama has the numbers behind him still , and America knows it takes at least 8 years and subsequent administrations to make any positive economical impact.

SO WHAT! All President do this.

So a President invites big donors to the White House for wine and cheeze, etc,,,,. These things start small and with each new arrival in the Chair of the President, the staff examines what the previous administration was able to do and simply expands the practice.
The logic being if they can do it five times. and they raised some funds: we can do it 50 times and raise big funds.
It's wrong no matter who is involved in influence selling.

.....when am "I" going to get MY PERKS?????? Anybody..........Anybody...... ....EARTH TO OBAMA..........

Another example of a corrupt government being influenced by special interest. Disgusting. K street needs to go away. It should also be illegal for President's to use their office of the people for party fund raising. No matter which party is in control.

Yep wrote:

Bush administration reportedly gave top GOP donors access to Cheney's energy task force
NY Times: 18 of energy industry's top donors to Republicans advised Cheney's energy task force. According to a March 1, 2002, New York Times report (accessed via Nexis), "[e]ighteen of the energy industry's top 25 financial contributors to the Republican Party advised Vice President Dick Cheney's national energy task force last year, according to interviews and election records." From the Times:
Bush reportedly invited donors to White House, Camp David, fundraisers, galas, and briefings
At least nine of Bush's biggest fund-raisers appear on the latest list of White House overnight guests, covering June 2002 through December 2003, and-or on the Camp David list, which covers last year. They include:
- Mercer Reynolds, an Ohio financier, former Bush partner in the Texas Rangers baseball team and former ambassador to Switzerland. Reynolds is leading Bush's campaign fund-raising effort. He was a guest at the White House and the Camp David retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains.
- Brad Freeman, a venture capitalist who is leading Bush's California fund-raising effort, has raised at least $200,000 for his re-election campaign and is also a major Republican Party fund-raiser. Freeman stayed at the White House.
- Roland Betts, who raised at least $100,000 for Bush in 2000, was a Bush fraternity brother at Yale and a Texas Rangers partner. Betts stayed at the White House and Camp David.
- William DeWitt, a Bush partner in the oil business and Texas Rangers who has raised at least $200,000 for Bush's re-election effort, stayed at the White House.
- James Francis, who headed the Bush campaign's 2000 team of $100,000-and-up volunteer fund-raisers and was a Bush appointee in Texas when Bush was governor. Francis was a White House guest.
- Joseph O'Neill, an oilman and childhood friend who introduced Bush to Laura Bush and raised at least $100,000 for each of Bush's presidential campaigns, stayed at the White House.
- Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and New York Gov. George Pataki, who each raised at least $200,000 for Bush's re-election campaign, were White House guests.
- James Langdon, who raised at least $100,000 for Bush, is a Washington attorney specializing in international oil and gas transactions. Langdon, whose clients include the Russian oil company Lukoil, is a member of Bush's foreign intelligence advisory board and served on Bush's 2000 presidential transition team on energy policy.

Hmmm, must be like Immelt of GE and the Obama administration; how about Google CEO, Eric Schwartz and all the other bigwigs supporting Obama.

Time for Obama to be voted out of office.

Balance government...better yet, flood elected offices with republicans to OVERTURN everything Obama is and will institute...then re-balance government.

Obama=joke

To the victors go the spoils. Get over it.

Miss Kitty wrote:

SO WHAT! All President do this.

Were previous donors of all previous presidents able to sit in on decision making, receiving information, ahead of the general public.

Just because people who money doesn't entitle them to first-hand, first-informed information ahead of the general public.

That's discriminatory, leaves the "poor" guy out.

And what was Obama's platform???? was that 'change'?....yeah, change in his pocket

Obama=liar

Obama is no different than Bush. He's a typical, lying politician.

Miss Kitty wrote:

SO WHAT! All President do this.

Yes, and that's why our votes and opinions don't count. See if you can get a White House invite.

PooPoo Platter wrote:

To the victors go the spoils. Get over it.

And if the voters think it's too much?

They weigh in next year and in 2012. They'll get it right, just like in 2008.

PooPoo Platter wrote:

To the victors go the spoils. Get over it.

You would be the first to scream if there was anyone but a Democrat doing it. Stop looking at it along party lines. This is nothing more than a abuse of an office for that of special interest. That office is there to lead this nation for the benefit of the people. Not special interest groups and party donantions.

Blind with party lines you are.

PooPoo Platter wrote:

To the victors go the spoils. Get over it.

The point of this article is that is was Obama who preached change and that he was going to be different, but all I have seen is the same ole crap being fed to us! What is that you don't understand about this concept of why voters are upset about.

Kahoki wrote:

<quoted text>
You would be the first to scream if there was anyone but a Democrat doing it. Stop looking at it along party lines. This is nothing more than a abuse of an office for that of special interest. That office is there to lead this nation for the benefit of the people. Not special interest groups and party donantions.
Blind with party lines you are.

You're wrong. Politicians always use the trappings of their office to impress and woo supporters.

It's excesses that should be criticized. And the voters will let any politician know if the line was crossed.

Obama gives everyone that visits each a flag and a picture of Jesus to piss on. Larry David is trying to get on the list. Curb your Hebrewmanism should be taken off the air. Obama should change his mind about embracing communism.

Inconvenient Truth wrote:

<quoted text>The point of this article is that is was Obama who preached change and that he was going to be different, but all I have seen is the same ole crap being fed to us! What is that you don't understand about this concept of why voters are upset about.

Hogwash.

Inviting supporters over to see a movie does not "upset" anybody but the partisans whose party is out of power.

As for change, there's been nothing like the energy task force Cheney kept secret in Bush's first term.

Now that's Change To Believe In...

But feel free to tell us THAT was right. Or if it was wrong, where you were when that was happening...

Visitors are warned to keep their kids close to them at all times. Jennings is sculking around there. ACORN may also be present. Beware.

Yep wrote:

AP: Bush hosted "friend-raisers" for donors to campaign, RNC. According to an April 26, 2002, AP article (accessed via Nexis), Bush had hosted nearly 20 fundraisers for donors -- which he dubbed "friend-raisers" -- including one for 250 donors in Crawford, Texas. The AP reported: "The 250 donors represented the Republican National Committee's elite, and they've already dug deep. The RNC invited its 'Regents,' donors who have contributed $250,000 over the last two years and who helped carry Bush to the White House. He is counting on them to open their wallets for Republican candidates this year and for his own re-election campaign in 2004."
Previous administrations also rewarded donors
George H.W. Bush offered perks to donors. In a July 6, 1995, AP article (accessed via Nexis) about Clinton aides defending his administration's "offering presidential dinners and trade junkets to major donors," the AP noted that "[t]he Bush administration offered top donors contributing $92,000 special picture-taking sessions with President Bush, lunch with Vice President Dan Quayle, breakfast with GOP congressional leaders and an invitation to a reception with Cabinet members."

and?
your point is...?

obama made a HUGE point out of how HE wasn't going to be involved in "politics as usual" in washington...
how he was going to "rise above" petty political bickering...
how he was going to make his administration "transparent"...

so, he's paying back the big-buck donors ... hmmm, looks A LOT like "politics as usual" to me.

already has an "enemies list" and is involved in VERY UNPRESIDENTIAL name calling and blaming, hmmm, looks VERY petty.

and so far, his administration is ALMOST as transparent as the tinfoil your hat is made from!

all we got is "hypocrisy as usual".
instead, he has made himself into a HUGE hypocrite ... again.