Organizing for Action: Er, we won’t be accepting corporate donations after all — how’s that sound?

[Valin]

Hot Air:

Erika Johnsen

3/7/13

 

President Obama’s campaign-machinery-turned-”advocacy group” got a lot of rather negative attention last week, when the New York Times reported that donors who contribute or raise $500,000 or more for Organizing for Action will be magnanimously granted the high privilege of attending quarterly meetings with the president, along with other meetings at the White House — a.k.a., Organizing for Action will be selling access to the president to the highest bidders.

 

It would seem that Team Obama took offense at that unfortunate turn of phrasing, and Jim Messina — erstwhile Obama campaign manager and newfound OFA national chairman — was compelled to pen an op-ed defending the new group and announcing a couple of policy changes. Because, you know, they’re so committed to transparency and thwarting special interests, and everything.

 

(Snip)

 

Not accepting corporate, foreign, or federally-registered lobbyist donations and disclosing the names and amounts all big-dollar donors might be a small step in a more transparent direction, but that doesn’t really address the heart of the “selling access” complaints, does it? Individuals can still donate in unlimited amounts, and probably get a visit with the president out of it. “These are not opportunities to lobby”? Spare us the lip service.

 

(Snip)

[clearvision]

How much does a B-ball game for?

[Valin]

How much does a B-ball game for?

 

For a $20,000 donation to the American Society of Steve's I can find out.

[Draggingtree]

How much does a B-ball game for?

 

For a $20,000 donation to the American Society of Steve's I can find out.

I caught that