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Reversing course, Obama inauguration will take corporate money

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By Susan Crabtree - The Washington Times

Friday, December 7, 2012

Follow @susancrabtree

President Obamas inauguration committee on Friday said it is opening the floodgates to accept corporate cash to help fund the parties and festivities associated with the public swearing-in ceremony next month a 180-degree pivot from the presidents position in 2009. During the first inauguration, Mr. Obama touted his self-imposed ban on corporate donations as evidence of a commitment to change the ways of
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Washington and provide the most open and accessible inauguration in history, according to a press release posted on the Obama transition teams website at the time. Back then, the White House said the unprecedented limits on fundraising for the first inauguration underscored the presidents commitment to change business as usual in Washington and ensure that as many Americans as possible, both inside and outside Washington, will be able to come together to unite the country and celebrate our common values and shared aspirations. But a spokeswoman for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration Committee said Friday that the committee has decided this time around to accept corporate contributions to help cover the cost of public events. Organizers will continue the 2009 ban on accepting donations from lobbyists and PACs, and will not accept corporate or individual sponsorship agreements. The Presidential Inauguration Committee did not return repeated requests from comment from the Washington Times about its fundraising goals and budget this year. In 2009, it had a budget of $45 million, with the funds all coming from individual donors, up from the $42.3 million President George W. Bush's committee spent in 2005 and the $33 million spent for President Bill Clinton s first inaugural in 1993. Post-election donor fatigue appears to be driving the Obama teams decision. The final campaign spending reports for Mr. Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney released this week found that combined spending for the 2012 presidential race tally topped $2 billion for the first time ever. Our goal is to make sure that we will meet the fundraising requirements for this civic event after the most expensive presidential campaign in history, spokeswoman Addie Whisenant said. To ensure continued

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transparency, all names of doors will be posted to a regularly updated website. The committee also will scrutinize the corporate and individual

contributions for potential conflict of interest issues for the White House , and, for instance, will bar funds from businesses with pending government contracts, she said. The spectacle surrounding Mr. Obamas second inauguration is expected to fall short of the 2009 ceremony and parties, when 1.9 million people gathered on the National Mall to witness the swearing-in of the nations first black president. This year, with the economic recovery still struggling to gain momentum and the uncertainty surrounding the fiscal cliff negotiations over the federal budget, officials are trying to strike a more somber, low-key tone. The inaugurations theme, Faith in Americas Future, seems chosen to evoke a sense of American resolve in difficult times. It also resembles the title of the GOP super PAC Restore Our Future that heavily backed Mr. Romney s failed presidential bid.

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ALLARD: Sequestration spotlights real defense abuses

By Col. Ken Allard Billions of dollars lost in cozy bureaucratic status quo

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Susan Crabtree
Follow @susancrabtree Susan Crabtree is an award-winning investigative reporter with more than 15 years of reporting experience in Washington, D.C. Her reporting about bribery, corruption and conflict-of-interest issues on Capitol Hill has led to several FBI and ethics investigations, as well as consequences for members within their caucuses and at the ballot box. Susan can be reached at scrabtree@washingtontimes.com .

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Ohio, Virginia eye proposals for more proportional split of electoral votes
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Gay couples in Wash. state start taking wedding vows Boustany beats Landry for House seat as Louisiana delegation shrinks

icthelite

2 days ago

They all bow down to those that support and control them in the end.Obama is nothing more than your typical political whore.
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icthelite a day ago

Of course he's going to take their money, hell, he never stopped. All that talk about the nasty top 2% was just about the campaign. Seriously, their money is just as good as anyone else's when it comes to "free stuff" he wants.
5 1

Navy sends 2 more warships for N. Korean missile launch Redskins fans' Week 14 rooting guide Muslim Brotherhood seeks U.S. alliance as it ascends in Egypt MILLER: Handgun hypocrisy Govt. borrows 46 cents of every dollar it spends Egypt's military returns to the political fray

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Becky Brown

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fastboat a day ago

Mega Rich Corporations.....Gee, thought Liberals Hated Them. Drop back....punt....who are they supposed to Hate now that Obama is USING Them for His Profit? OCCUPY?????
4 1

Boustany beats Landry for House seat as Louisiana delegation shrinks California state revenue misses projection by almost $1 billion ALLARD: Sequestration spotlights real defense abuses Obama takes 'fiscal cliff' case to public; GOP turns to Rubio to make its case

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bonaventure

2 days ago

Exactly WHO is surprised????????

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IndependentExtremist

2 days ago

Wow, shocked! Well, at least it's the most transparent and ethical administration ever. hahahahhahaa bahahha
10 1

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Barbara Allen

a day ago

COMMUNITIES Independent voices from the TWT Communities

With millions unemployed, families losing their homes to foreclosure and the economy in the worst recession since the Great Depression, a real leader would forego all the costly balls and celebrations in favor of austerity more in line with the lives of the average American family's reality. But then there is a "king" to crown and far be it from any average

Narcotics For Leatherheads (NFL)

NFL junkie Eric Golub reports on his favorite obsession. There is no

Americn to dare demand/require a sense of propriety from 'the chosen one'! Can't help but hear Michelle on the balcony overlooking the south lawn dressed in her designer gown saying, "Let them eat cake"!
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football offseason. Every February he pretends to care about other sports while sobbing uncontrollably each Sunday until September.

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NFL 2012 Week 14 Wrap-up: This is when the big dogs come out More NFL tragedy: Jerry Brown dead, teammate Josh Brent arrested, and the NFL 2012 Week 14 Preview

realist

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Barbara Allen a day ago

Do think Michelle will allow us to eat cake? More like carrot sticks. Only his supplicants who are living high off the fruit of their neighbor's labor and other dope smoking brainless voters who believe in this phony will show up for his anointment.
1 1

Spiritually Yours
Spiritually yours is about each one of us. Mostly using examples from mythological stories, this column tries to find logic behind faith. Spirituality of convinience Who will update Facebook when I die?

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Barbara Allen

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realist 21 hours ago

Couldn't agree with you more.......and four years from now we'll have one huge party when His Majesty leaves DC and returns to Chicago to rejoin his gang of thugs in Chicago politics!!!
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Ringside Seat
Get in the middle of all the action inside and outside the boxing ring. Marquez stuns Pacquiao, boxing world with 6th round knockout Boxing prediction: Pacquiao-Marquez IV, Saturday 9 p.m. Eastern, HBO PPV

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indykat1

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Barbara Allen 15 hours ago

All you'll be doing is welcoming Hillary back to the White House -this time as No. 1.
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Big Reads For Little Hands

Big Reads For Little Hands explores toddler and early reading picture books, stories and reading based edutainment featuring weekly reviews of new and classic picture books, early readers or learning toys.

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BurningChrome

2 days ago

Top 10 Christmas Books Children's picture book review every week: Find new reads for storytime

By this time in 2008, most hotels in D.C. were booked solid. This time around, hotel rooms are going begging. Only a few are even half booked...
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Ord_Miller

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BurningChrome a day ago

to burning, If you cared to compare, it was the same for Ronald Reagan's, and George W. Bush's second inaugurations. Reagan's 2nd was held privately.
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BurningChrome

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Ord_Miller a day ago

Actually, I don't care.

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World War II veterans honored at National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony
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Ord_Miller

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BurningChrome a day ago

to burning,

It shows.
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ohioan123

a day ago

The G.M. bail-out is coming under enormous scrutiny by a N.Y. judge who claims much of it was kept secret and it broke the law. G.M. may have to re-file for bankruptcy. And its been confirmed that Benghazi was Fast & Furious all over again. Obama was selling arms to rebels who turned around to use them on the Ambassador and 3 other Americans.
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Ord_Miller

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ohioan123 a day ago

to ohioan, Corporations donate and con-servatives cry "foul." Americans are slain and con-servatives side with the Islamist murderers. It is looking like you have to be a little bit schizo to be a good con-servative these days.
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4arepublic

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Ord_Miller a day ago

turdmiller, delusional as ever. What a fool you are.

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Ord_Miller

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4arepublic a day ago

to 4are, Are you a new wave con-servative journalist that thinks Americans actually like con-servatives because you can say "turd?" "Delusional?" "Fool?" "Turd?" All you can express. And you wonder why con-servatives lost?
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Berzrkr

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Ord_Miller 14 hours ago

Jesus. You must get up in the morning and screw your eyes and brain in backwards. That was the most twisted observation I've ever read...
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Ord_Miller

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Berzrkr 13 hours ago

to bersk, What? That the first thing con-servatives think of when Americans are slain by Islamists is to attack the American President? I saw it happen. The majority in America saw it happen.
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rhcrest

a day ago

On inauguration day, i will hang my American Flag unpside down to reflect a nation in distress. I will also tie a black ribbon under the flag and onto the tree in my frontyard to reflect that half of the nation that is not insane and is mourning the reelection of the fraud President Hussein.
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ohmama

a day ago

commitment to change business as usual in Washington and ensure that as many Americans as possible, both inside and outside Washington, will be able to come together to unite the country and celebrate our common values and shared aspirations. What a joke! Oh, wait a minute, maybe GE can finance Obama's shindig, since they moved part of their operations to China and paid ZERO Federal taxes, GE should have loads of cash to payback their boss.
4 1

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Becky Brown

a day ago

Obama nothing but a Contradiction, a Misrepresentation, an ever Evolving LIAR-inChief.

4 1

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george

a day ago

Why not? Now that the fixed election is over - corporations rule!
4 1

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"Jack"

a day ago

Whenever I engage in parties and festivities, I pay for it out of my own pocket - plus taxes. You're welcome.
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Ord_Miller

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"Jack" a day ago

to Jack, I would not have thought you would remember to leave a tip.
1 3

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Pap Weinhold

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Ord_Miller a day ago

What rock have you been hiding under? It must have fallen on your head

and given you amnesia.

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Ord_Miller

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Pap Weinhold a day ago

to pap, Ok, you are watching cartoons with your five grandsons, and you like Patrick better than SpongeBob. Good for you.
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TRussert

2 days ago

Great idea. Save us taxpayers more money. Just as long, after it's over, it's Thank You Corporate America. OK, no more subsidies, corporate welfare, tax breaks, regulations are in full force and being added and , by the way, any money you leave in offshore accounts will be seized by the Treasury Dept.
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ohmama

a day ago

Michael Moore made millions off his his anti-Capitalism film, and it turns out that same film was funded by taxpayer money. Is anyone surprised by the liberals hypocrisy?
3 1

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Mike Doezy

a day ago

It's called 'a kick back' - some would call it quid pro quo contribution or getting something in return for a donation / contribution. Just another in a long list of Obama broken promises and probably legal if the corporations report it to the IRS as a charitable contribution per IRS Publication 1771, Substantiation and Disclosure Requirements and a definitely shady politics.
3 1

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ohmama

a day ago

Barack Obama is a liar and a hypocrit. But then, many of us knew that in 2008 and in 2012. Although many of his supporters criticized Wall Street and the Wall Street bailout, it's a fact that Barack Obama took more money from Wall Street than any President in history. Obama was also not too proud to take lobbyist money for his campaign in 2008.
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stoky

a day ago

I just can't wait for all the festivities. It is just so exciting!!! Our country is going down the tubes while the "prince" boogies on our time.
2 1

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delta

21 hours ago

Of course they'll take corporate money and, like all barnyard dogs, will then turn around and bite those hands with more taxes and regulations. Or is that reference too mean to barnyard dogs?
1 1

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Fip1

a day ago

Not surprising, He talks out of both sides of his mouth all the time.
1 1

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Seymour_Balz

a day ago

If he doesn't take "private" money, you folk will say it shouldn't be on the taxpayers' dime. He does take "corporate" money, you folk are saying it's extortion. If he doesn't have an inaugeration, you folk will say he's illigitmate. Whatever.
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realist

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Seymour_Balz 21 hours ago

As long as it's not his own money, he'll spend it.

1

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wombat1951

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Seymour_Balz 20 hours ago

Why is it so hard for you to just acknowledge that Obama is as big a hypocrit as

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