Obama Inaugural Reveals Corporate Donors
EmailPresident Obama’s inaugural committee today confirmed that corporate cash has begun flowing in to help celebrate a second term, four years after Obama eschewed such funds and refused to accept them.
The names of 417 “benefactors” to the 57th inaugural were quietly posted tonight on the Presidential Inaugural Committee’s website, including the names of seven companies. The committee said more names will be posted in coming days.
The corporate donors to Obama’s inaugural include AT&T, Microsoft, Genentech Inc, Whittier Trust Co., Centene Corp, Financial Innovations Inc. and Stream Line Circle LLC.
None of the individual donors appeared to be high-profile public figures or campaign bundlers. (The committee did not provide any geographic information for the donors or the amounts of their gifts.)
The release of donor names was voluntary as part of an effort the committee said was intended to boost transparency.
Last month Obama reversed a voluntary ban on unlimited corporate cash, which he imposed on the inaugural four years ago and during the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Obama said he would also allow individuals to contribute up to the legal maximum for the 2013 inauguration — $250,000 — lifting a $50,000 cap he voluntarily imposed in 2008. The shift appeared to be driven by fundraising challenges in the wake of a multi-billion dollar campaign. Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney each raised north of $1 billion for the election cycle — historic highs.
The full list of 2013 Obama inaugural donors is here: http://2013pic.org/about/benefactors
Sen. Chuck Hagel's Defense Nomination Draws Criticism 
Congress Makes President Obama's Reelection Official 
Nice Job O-man. When you need cash, morals are put on the sidelines!
Posted by: JenAnn | January 4, 2013, 9:21 pm 9:21 pm
Now I know which companies not to do business with.
Posted by: Pat | January 4, 2013, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm
I’m glad he’s done this – taxpayers won’t have to foot the bill.
Posted by: Sally | January 4, 2013, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm
Oh, Sally, the taxpayers will foot plenty of the bill! The rest of the money will be put in his “campaign chest” for future needs. I cannot imagine anyone giving $250,000 for an inaugural party with the economy still in the toilet. It boggles the mind, really.
Posted by: Maggie Foster | January 4, 2013, 11:16 pm 11:16 pm
Obama said he would also allow individuals to contribute up to the legal maximum for the 2013 inauguration — $250,000 — lifting a $50,000 cap he voluntarily imposed in 2008.
Posted by: Newunion | January 4, 2013, 11:25 pm 11:25 pm
Obama is such a liar. Nice transparency O.
Posted by: Julio | January 4, 2013, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
I cannot imagine anyone giving $250,000 for an inaugural party
Posted by: Maggie Foster | January 4, 2013, 11:16 pm 11:16 pm
There are many people doing very, very well in this country. It’s one of the reasons President Obama pushed for an increase in taxes on the very wealthy – they’ve never done better.
Posted by: Ruby | January 4, 2013, 11:30 pm 11:30 pm
$250,000? There I thought he believed that those who can contribute that kind of money are the rich, he loathes so much.
Posted by: Lizzie | January 5, 2013, 10:56 am 10:56 am
the rich, he loathes so much.
Posted by: Lizzie | January 5, 2013, 10:56 am 10:56 am
That’s your dumb misunderstanding. Your own goofy creation.
Posted by: Adam | January 5, 2013, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm
Funny how they forgot to release the names of donors that donated $1.9 million in the last days of the campaign. Hmmmm, now they have been fined instead of release the names. Something smells…
Posted by: Freedom | January 5, 2013, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Yeah Ruby, there are many doing very well……………the gap between the rich and the poor has grown since Obama got in. Its the middle class that has taken the hit……………obviously the middle cant afford the $250,000 bribes that the rich who are getting richer off Obama’s REDISTRIBUTION policies like all those Green company CEo’s and microsoft and financial companies. Funny, but those rich corporations making money off Obama’s corrupt policies are the same ones donating to him.
Posted by: herewesaidit | January 5, 2013, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
Guess who’s now going to get their Obamacare scam waivers?????
Posted by: TexBork_2013 | January 5, 2013, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
Posted by: herewesaidit | January 5, 2013, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
That’s why most people support Obama wanting to increase taxes on the very wealthy. They’ve done nothing but get richer while the rest of us lose ground. That’s been happening for over a decade.
Posted by: Adam | January 5, 2013, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
There are only 7 companies and 400 people who have donated. Looks like it will be a scaled down affair with fewer people showing up and no money. It is only fitting for this ego nut job in the White House.
Posted by: Jake | January 5, 2013, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm
@Adam read the bill. The rich weren’t touched at all in fact people making 50,000 a year got hit harder than those making 500,000. The rich don’t claim earnings income like Buffett their wealth is in investments ie hedge funds etc which were not even touched. It are low information voters like yourself that should stay home in November.
Posted by: Jake | January 5, 2013, 7:40 pm 7:40 pm
The rich weren’t touched at all
Posted by: Jake | January 5, 2013, 7:40 pm 7:40 pm
Nonsense. Their income tax was raised. Their capital gains tax was raised.
Posted by: Adam | January 5, 2013, 7:48 pm 7:48 pm
ADAM….JAKE never has a clue. Probably gets all his ‘facts’ from Rush, Maulkin, Newsmax or Faux Noise.
Posted by: CND FOX | January 5, 2013, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm
I GOT MY INAUGURAL INVITATION TODAY IN THE MAIL!!!! YIPEE!!!!
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 5, 2013, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm
BOSTON — The Republican Party seems as divided and angry as ever. Infighting has penetrated the highest levels of the House GOP leadership.
___________________________________________
Watch their division and failure obstruct the country. Vote them out in 2014.
Posted by: Art | January 5, 2013, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm
Posted by: theeightiesruled1 | January 5, 2013, 9:04 pm 9:04 pm
The last time the Republicans obstructed on raising the debt ceiling, they took the country to days from defaulting on its loans. This cost the country it’s credit rating and damaged the stock market.
Damaging the country’s credit rating and the stock market is not progress.
The debt ceiling was raised on seven occasions during President George W. Bush’s two terms in office, from $5.95 trillion in 2001 to nearly double that, $11.315 trillion, in 2009 – an increase of $5.365 trillion or 90 percent.
Posted by: Stan the American | January 5, 2013, 9:13 pm 9:13 pm
legislation regarding home ownership is the problem here! BUSH was not the problem!
Posted by: theeightiesruled1 | January 5, 2013, 9:27 pm 9:27 pm
Speaking of incompetence (Bush’s) and ignorance (yours) . …
1) Bush homeownership plan aims at 5.5 million lift for minorities (2003)
President Bush announced an Administration effort to increase home ownership rates among African Americans and Hispanics by 5.5 million by 2010.
The plan would provide down payment assistance to 40,000 minority homebuyers each year . . .
Bush’s plan would be closely tied to minority loan programs offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. President Bush commended Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s efforts . . .
2) 2004: Under President Bush, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announces that it will require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, also known as the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) “to increase their purchase of mortgages for low- and moderate-income families and underserved communities.” In order to meet these new requirements, the GSEs begin purchasing mortgage-backed securities made up of subprime loans.
So you think Bush and the Republicans were fixing the problem? Majority Republican congress and Republican presidency.
Posted by: Dan | January 5, 2013, 9:34 pm 9:34 pm
THEEIGHTIESRULED1….whatever more are you running off the head about? “…reckless regulations and 3 decades of legislation regarding home ownership…”? What right wing crap website did you get that garbage from? LOL you obviously don’t even see how contradicting your statement is. Because if we HAD HAD proper regulations in the housing market…we would never have had the mess we did. And the “media” took Bush down? LOL..LOL…the clown did it through his own stupidity!Or whoever MADE the decisions for him.
Posted by: CND FOX | January 5, 2013, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
You mean, CND FOX, if we didn’t have a government that forced lending institutions to provide mortgages to people who didn’t qualify, we wouldn’t have had the economic mess that started decades ago. Canada did not have a banking crisis, but then again, their government didn’t require lending to unqualifed borrowers. Nice try on re-writing history.
Posted by: BT | January 6, 2013, 8:38 am 8:38 am
Easy to see that Pres. Obama hates rich people/rich companies. IMHO, we should do away with inaugurals for a second term. We have so many problems and lazy, corrupt politicians that we should not celebrate; who said we don’t have “kings”?
Posted by: jonnie | January 6, 2013, 9:00 am 9:00 am
You mean, CND FOX, if we didn’t have a government that forced lending institutions to provide mortgages to people who didn’t qualify, we wouldn’t have had the economic mess
Posted by: BT | January 6, 2013, 8:38 am 8:38 am
1) Bush homeownership plan aims at 5.5 million lift for minorities (2003)
President Bush announced an Administration effort to increase home ownership rates among African Americans and Hispanics by 5.5 million by 2010.
The plan would provide down payment assistance to 40,000 minority homebuyers each year . . .
Bush’s plan would be closely tied to minority loan programs offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. President Bush commended Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s efforts . . .
2) 2004: Under President Bush, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announces that it will require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, also known as the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) “to increase their purchase of mortgages for low- and moderate-income families and underserved communities.” In order to meet these new requirements, the GSEs begin purchasing mortgage-backed securities made up of subprime loans.
All the Democrats fault apparently – majority Republican congress and Republican presidency.
Posted by: KaChing | January 6, 2013, 10:11 am 10:11 am