Obomination: Donors Get Access to the Obama Administration

The International Association of Aerospace Workers and Machinists (IAAWM) declared that donating to their PAC “gains your Union access to officials, which is critical to get our issues addressed and ensure our input is heard.”  But this instance of pay-to-play is not just limited to donations to unions.  You can buy face time with officials directly through the Obama campaign.

Obama’s re-election campaign is hosting a “Speakers Series,” which started with an event on July 21 with former White House Chief of Staff and current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.  (It should be noted this event was moved from its original location at Pfizer’s headquarters to the University Club over concerns that Pfizer, a government-regulated company, was getting special treatment.)

Donors who pay $1000 for one or $5000 for five can attend lectures in New York, featuring chief of staff Bill Daley, senior advisor David Plouffe, deputy senior adviser Stephanie Cutter, deputy chief of staff Alyssa Mastromonaco, deputy chief of staff Nancy-Ann DeParle, senior counselor Pete Rouse, White House director of public engagement Jon Carson, and Michelle Obama’s chief of staff Tina Tchen.  Other speakers include Senior Adviser David Axelrod, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Office of Public Engagement Director Jon Carson and Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs advisor Valerie Jarrett.  Why is lobbying time with White House administration officials being auctioned off by the Obama campaign?

Commentators have voiced concern.  University of Virginia’s Director of Politics Larry Sabato said, “They know [donations are] being collected, that's why they're there, and that's why this is an access situation and it deserves very close scrutiny.”  Bart Naylor of Public Citizen said, “[W]e are nervous that conversations can sometimes indicate friendships and alliances that we think is misplaced.”