by Mark Silva
Actress Sharon Stone and entertainer Jamie Foxx are among the big early donors to President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural committee, according to the first accounting from a committee that already has raised nearly $10 million for the festivities.
They each gave the maximum accepted, $50,000.
Financier George Soros and four family members also have contributed a combined total of $250,000. Among the donors identified - those contributing more than $200 per person - the inaugural committee reports that 169 gave the maximum of $50,000 42 gave $25,000.The committee is not accepting contributions from corporations, political action committees, labor unions,federally registered lobbyists, non-U.S. citizens or registered foreign agents,
But the committee is selling four-day packages of four tickets for the historic swearing-in plus festivities surrounding the Jan. 20 inauguration for $50,000.
This is scaling things back, by comparison: President Bush charged $250,000 for a similar package, with more events and contact with the president and vice president.
The Obama National Finance Committee is spreading the word about the. package to friends and associates. "We've been waiting for this day for eight years," committee member Michael Caplin told The Associated Press.
. "The 4-ticket Inaugural Package offered by the Presidential Inaugural Committee costs $50,000," Caplin wrote in an e-mail to supporters. It includes a nightclub performance on Jan. 17, brunch the next morning ands nighttime VIP seating at a concert that probably will take place at the Lincoln Memorial. On Jan. 19, it includes candlelight dinners around town with members of Congress and drop-ins by the Obamas
The Associated Press contributed.
Comments
Nice to see their is money some were in America that dosen't need a bailout.
Posted by: Inky | December 13, 2008 5:26 PM
I hear Wilford Brimley and Chuck Norris and Kelsy Grammer are also donating to the inauguration....uh....wait a minute.....they're Republican "Hollywood elitists".....never mind.
Posted by: save the moose, get rid of the gov of Alaska | December 13, 2008 5:44 PM
Oh this is scandalous; it's Jamie Foxx-gate. Where are you Inky? Speak up. We can't let them get away with this. Impeach him before he's inaugurated.
Posted by: Flo | December 13, 2008 7:27 PM
Well Hillary didn't make pres as planned but she's in there and Obama is planning on having Acorn a close alley of his union SEIU (who supports all these regulations on our banks and low housing loans) come in and help set the agenda from the start he says, so Soros was able to get his quasi government in there after all I guess.
Posted by: Teresa | December 14, 2008 3:16 AM