Posted on 11/07/2008 2:27:08 PM PST by nickcarraway
Lost amid all of the jubilation of the Obama victory was the announcement by the Obama transition team that it had set up a separate transition program beyond the one that is paid for by the American taxpayer. Called the "Obama/Biden Transition Project," it is a 501(c)4 tax-exempt organization, with no limits on the contributions it can receive and no requirements to divulge the names of individuals or organizations that give it money.
Traditionally, the victorious campaign has set up inaugural funds, as well as funds to deal with legal costs and other expenses to close down the campaign. Others have set up quasi-corporate offices to deal with transition issues, such as in 2000, when, with the election in doubt, the Bush-Cheney team set up a private transition office in McLean, Virginia, covering the costs from campaign contributions and other fundraising. Ultimately, the federal government, headed by the Government Services Administration, covers the cost of the transition staff, providing it with office space and all equipment.
No one is certain that any political organization has ever set up a tax-exempt entity that would be shrouded in such secrecy, particularly when Obama claimed he would be more transparent about the way things were done.
"To my knowledge, it's never been done, and people should be asking why the Obama people chose to do it this way," says a longtime Washington Republican, who has been involved in transitions for the Reagan and Bush campaign teams. According to an Obama campaign staffer who is being retained for the transition and inauguration planning, the "project" is intended not only to identify personnel for the Obama Administration, but to then send those project employees who know all of the senior staff in the various Cabinet departments and federal agencies out into the corporate and lobbying community to leverage those contacts.
"It's taking the old 'K Street Project' that Republicans had and doing it twice as fast and on steroids," explains the aide. "So, if you have a Project aide working on Commerce Department transition, that Project aide will be more likely to get a senior lobbying job because of all those connections at Commerce. That former Project aide will also be able raise more money for Democrats in this town and help others with jobs and such."
As well, the nonprofit may also serve as a haven for Obama supporters and campaign loyalists who for one reason or another can't be employed by the Administration or in the federal government. "There are some people who have been with us from the beginning who are clearly political liabilities or who won't be able to qualify for a job, say, because they can't get a security clearance," says another aide, who was unaware of the unique Obama transition project's tax status.
Regardless of the purpose, Obama campaign officials say there is no intention of shutting down the 501(c) 4 Project after the transition is over.
Brownshirts. Goosesteppers.
A shadow administration with no oversight by anyone, answerable only to Obama. A perfect way to hide violations of federal law.
Read this...
Soros has to control them somehow.
this is just creepy
a secret shadow government to shelter subversives who wouldnt be able to operate openly in our government
I hope the FBI has a field day watching this place
even if the guys who do it are not “on the clock”
Is this where all the ACORN people are now?
The article said — “No one is certain that any political organization has ever set up a tax-exempt entity that would be shrouded in such secrecy, particularly when Obama claimed he would be more transparent about the way things were done.”
Now here is the first thing to really *hammer* Obama on, something that he’s doing *right now* — as opposed to all the other things in the past. This is “right now” and it indicates that he’s totally lying about “transparency”....
And no limit on foreign donations.
The FBI works for The One, did you forget that?
Republicans need to do the SAME.
If he can do it, so can we.
Time to fight fire with fire.
Enough of this silly stuff ... .
0bama = Abortion
“When freedom fails
Good men rot in filthy jails
And those who cried Appease! Appease!
Are hung by those they tried to please.”
I may not have that quote perfect, but I remember it from long ago...
Obingo will do as he pleases. Anyone who questions him will have two issues. You’ll be called on the carpet as a racist and you’ll be audited, your TV station shut down, your kids harassed, your brakes removed etc.
...in announcer voice..”watch the “Sopranos”, “Goodfellas” or the “Godfather” to learn more about how creative Obama can be”!! “Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Be There”!
If the Republicans had fought fire with fire, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Palin was the only one I saw fighting fire with fire and see what they did to her.
Lovely.
Think Code Pink.
Ping. See #9, too.
Maybe the GOP wanted to lose this one so they could hang all the coming misery around Barack Obama’s neck.
Only problem with that reasoning is the Supreme Court nominations, fewer restrictions on abortions, and all the socialist programs he intends to start that once started never ever end. But maybe the GOP doesn’t really care about these issues.
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