Obama’s Backers Seek Big Donors [$500,000 or more] to Press Agenda

New York Times ^ | February 22, 2013 | NICHOLAS CONFESSORE

[grundle]

President Obama’s political team is fanning out across the country in pursuit of an ambitious goal: raising $50 million to convert his re-election campaign into a powerhouse national advocacy network, a sum that would rank the new group as one of Washington’s biggest lobbying operations.

But the rebooted campaign, known as Organizing for Action, has plunged the president and his aides into a campaign finance limbo with few clear rules, ample potential for influence-peddling, and no real precedent in national politics.

In private meetings and phone calls, Mr. Obama’s aides have made clear that the new organization will rely heavily on a small number of deep-pocketed donors, not unlike the “super PACs” whose influence on political campaigns Mr. Obama once deplored.

At least half of the group’s budget will come from a select group of donors who will each contribute or raise $500,000 or more, according to donors and strategists involved in the effort.

Unlike a presidential campaign, Organizing for Action has been set up as a tax-exempt “social welfare group.” That means it is not bound by federal contribution limits, laws that bar White House officials from soliciting contributions, or the stringent reporting requirements for campaigns. In their place, the new group will self-regulate.

[Buckeye McFrog]

You Progressives who were standing there scratching your heads wondering why Obama did not mention Campaign Finance Reform in his SOTU speech....here’s your answer!

[irish_links]

Do my eyes deceive me or has it come to pass that the NYT is expressing concern, no matter how mild, regarding the Great Man’s thuggish politcal tactics? May wonders never cease.