Research Briefing

President Sells Access To And Amenities Of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue To Highest Democrat Bidders

“Bill Clinton turned the White House into a hotel and coffee shop. Now President Obama has turned the White House into a full service resort complete with amenities for the highest Democrat bidder.  The seriousness of this issue requires an immediate investigation looking into the degree and details of fundraising efforts between the White House and DNC, whether there was any quid pro quo offered to donors, and the names of White House officials who were involved in such activities.  The White House should also immediately release the names of donors who have accessed these perks or received special briefings from administration officials.  Candidate Obama pledged to clean up the muddy waters of Washington, but President Obama has jumped in head first.” – RNC Chairman Michael Steele

OBAMA REWARDS TOP DEM DONORS, BUNDLERS WITH V.I.P. TREATMENT AT WHITE HOUSE

Obama Awards Top Donors With “VIP Access To The White House.” “During his first nine months in office, President Obama has quietly rewarded scores of top Democratic donors with VIP access to the White House, private briefings with administration advisers and invitations to important speeches and town-hall meetings… High-dollar fundraisers have been promised access to senior White House officials in exchange for pledges to donate $30,400 personally or to bundle $300,000 in contributions ahead of the 2010 midterm elections, according to internal Democratic National Committee documents obtained by The Washington Times.” (Matthew Mosk, “EXCLUSIVE: Democratic Donors Rewarded With W.H. Perks,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

DNC Created Menu  Of “Exclusive Access Opportunities." “The DNC has presented a menu of exclusive access opportunities to top givers, according to internal DNC documents provided to potential donors and obtained by The Times… One top donor described in an interview with The Times being given a birthday visit to the Oval Office. Another was allowed use of a White House-complex bowling alley for his family. Bundlers closest to the president were invited to watch a movie in the red-walled theater in the basement of the presidential mansion.” (Matthew Mosk, “EXCLUSIVE: Democratic Donors Rewarded With W.H. Perks,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

Donors Offered Parties In White House Bowling Alley And Movie Theater. “One top donor described in an interview with The Times being given a birthday visit to the Oval Office.” Another was allowed use of a White House-complex bowling alley for his family. Bundlers closest to the president were invited to watch a movie in the red-walled theater in the basement of the presidential mansion.” (Matthew Mosk, “EXCLUSIVE: Democratic Donors Rewarded With W.H. Perks,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

Obama Invites “Top New York Bundler” Golfing In Martha’s Vineyard, Treats Donors To “Lavish White House Reception.” “Mr. Obama invited his top New York bundler, UBS Americas CEO Robert Wolf, to golf with him during the president's Martha's Vineyard vacation in August. At least 39 donors and fundraisers also were treated to a lavish White House reception on St. Patrick's Day, where the fountains on the North and South Lawns were dyed green, photos and video reviewed by The Times and CBS News also show.” (Matthew Mosk, “EXCLUSIVE: Democratic Donors Rewarded With W.H. Perks,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

Select Individuals “Provided Access To A Series Of Invite-Only Briefings By Senior Administration Officials Organized By The DNC.” “’I don't think it's surprising that people that support the president do go to functions at the White House and have other access, but there are many, many more Americans who attend events and town halls and other things at the White House every single day,’ DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse said… Only select members of the public, however, were provided access to a series of invite-only briefings by senior administration officials organized by the DNC.” (Matthew Mosk, “EXCLUSIVE: Democratic Donors Rewarded With W.H. Perks,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

EVEN THOUGH HE PLEDGED TO CLEAN UP “MUDDY WATER” IN WASHINGTON

When Announcing His Campaign For Presidency, Obama Pledged To End Special Interest Access. “Special interests have turned our government into a game only they can afford to play … They get the access while you get to write a letter … The time for that kind of politics is over. It’s through.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks Announcing Campaign For President, Springfield, IL, 2/17/07)

Obama Pledged Clean Up Of “Muddy Water” In Washington. “Obama pointed to his record of helping push ethics reform legislation through the Illinois Senate and Congress, and pledged to do more as president… ‘I've fought for these issues,’ he said… ‘The argument is not that I'm pristine, because I'm swimming in the same muddy water,’ Obama said. ‘The argument is that I know it's muddy and I want to clean it up.’” (Mike Glover, “AP Interview: Obama Says He Swims In 'Muddy Waters' Polluting Washington, Pledges Cleanup,” The Associated Press, 8/17/09)

During Campaign, Obama Criticized Special Interests Who “Write The Checks” And “Get The Access.” “‘I know that I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington, but I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change… He added, ‘People who love their country can change it.’… Admitting the tactic is typical of aspiring candidates, Obama promised to overhaul a political system he says is dominated by lobbyists and special interest groups ‘who've turned our government into a game only they can afford to play.’… ‘They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back. The time for that kind of politics is over,’ he said. ‘It's time to turn the page right here and right now.’” (“Obama Declares He's Running For President,” CNN, 2/10/07)

OBAMA OUTDOES PRESIDENT CLINTON IN CREATING MORE MUD

Between 1995 & 1996, President Bill Clinton Allowed Donors Who Had Contributed A Combined $5.4 Million To DNC To Stay Overnight In Lincoln Bedroom At White House. “President Bill Clinton's guests in the Lincoln Bedroom gave a total of at least $5.4 million to the Democratic National Committee during 1995 and 1996, according to a study for CNN by the Campaign Study Group. Among the biggest donors were investor Dirk Ziff, who gave $411,000; movie producer Steven Spielberg, $336,000; retired businessman William Rollnick, $235,000; and Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman, $225,000.” (“Lincoln Bedroom Guests Gave $5.4 Million,” CNN, 2/26/97)

• “CNN's $5.4 million figure does not include money given to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or any state party committees.” (“Lincoln Bedroom Guests Gave $5.4 Million,” CNN, 2/26/97)

Then-Chief Clinton Strategist, Now Obama Chief Of Staff Rahm Emanuel Was “Evasive” When Asked To Defend Clinton 1996 Fundraising Practices. “He has not been questioned about his role as Clinton's fund-raiser in 1992 - a different era, when Clinton did not have a Lincoln Bedroom to offer - but is evasive when asked how he defends the Clinton campaign fund-raising practices in 1996. ‘The 1996 election was not about fund-raising,’ Rahm begins, portentously. ‘The 1996 election was about two different visions for this country. ...’” (Elisabeth Bumiller, “The Brothers Emanuel,” The New York Times, 6/15/97)

• Rahm Only Said Fundraising Was An “Unseemly Business.” “‘Fund-raising for the last hundred years - go back and read the Lincoln books - is an unseemly business,’ he says. Does he think the 1996 Clinton campaign went too far? ‘I'm not going to pass judgement on the 1996 fund-raising!’ he finally says, yelling. ‘O.K.? It's a broken system. There's no prettiness in 1996.’” (Elisabeth Bumiller, “The Brothers Emanuel,” The New York Times, 6/15/97)

Clinton Defended The Practice Of Inviting “800-Plus” “Friends And Supporters” To Stay Overnight.” “The CNN study found 24 overnight White House guests who gave $100,000 or more to the DNC. … On Tuesday, the Clinton White House released the names of 800-plus people who stayed overnight in the Lincoln Bedroom, and the president defended the practice of inviting friends and supporters to stay overnight.” (“Lincoln Bedroom Guests Gave $5.4 Million,” CNN, 2/26/97)

• Obama Spokesperson Dan Pfeiffer Also Defended Invitations To “Friends And Associates Of The Obamas For Decades.” “Many of the people mentioned in this story have been friends and associates of the Obamas for decades - including college roommates and family friends whose relationships predate and are separate from the President's career in public service.” (“White House Touts Ethics In Rewards For Fundraisers,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

Clinton Defended Practice Citing Their “Strict” Guidelines. “At a press conference today with Chilean president Eduardo Frei, Clinton was asked again about the fund-raising and again defended himself.  ‘We got strict advice about -- legal advice -- about what the rules were and everyone involved knew what the rules were,’ Clinton said. ‘Did we hope that the people that came there would support me, particularly after we got into a political season? Of course we did. ‘But there was no solicitation during the events and the guidelines, which I believe were made available to you also yesterday in the documents, made it clear that there was to be no price tags on these events,’ Clinton said.” (“Lincoln Bedroom Guests Gave $5.4 Million,” CNN, 2/26/97)

• Pfeiffer Also Cited “Toughest Ethics Standards In History” To Defend White House. Dan Pfeiffer: “This Administration has across the board set the toughest ethics standards in history. As a result, we have reduced special-interest influence over the policymaking process to promote merit-based decision-making. We believe that is due in no small part to our insistence on strict adherence to the rules - an approach we intend to continue.” (“White House Touts Ethics In Rewards For Fundraisers,” The Washington Times, 10/28/09)

In 1997, Democratic Fundraisers Admitted They “Explicitly Sold Invitations To White House Coffees With President Clinton” For Up To $100,000. “Some Democratic fund-raisers explicitly sold invitations to White House coffees with President Clinton and offered to arrange invitations for a price, usually $50,000 but as much as $100,000, several contributors and fund-raisers said today. White House and Democratic officials have repeatedly denied that donors were promised White House visits in exchange for contributions. But today fund-raisers and contributors said that top party officials had permitted fund-raisers across the country, including bankers, business people, lawyers and lobbyists, to woo wealthy individuals and corporations by asking for those donations in exchange for placing contributors on the White House guest lists, compiled by the Democratic National Committee's finance division.” (Don Van Natta Jr., “Some Democratic Fund-Raisers Say They Sold Access to Clinton,” The New York Times, 2/26/97)

• “Interviews with more than two dozen donors and several fund-raising officials show that the 103 coffees were an integral part of the Democrats' push to raise vast sums of unlimited ‘soft money’ before last November's election.” (Don Van Natta Jr., “Some Democratic Fund-Raisers Say They Sold Access to Clinton,” The New York Times, 2/26/97)