It became clear during the presidential campaign that “big money” in politics isn’t a concern to the Left, as long as it’s their candidate who is raising boatloads of cash.
But based on the people who are getting jobs with the President-Elect’s transition team, some folks are wondering what’s going on.
Though they worked behind the scenes in Barack Obama’s campaign for president, bundlers who raised millions of dollars for his White House bid are starting to land significant posts on his transition team.
At least nine of the volunteer fundraisers whose wide networks of colleagues, friends and relatives gave more than $1.85 million to Obama are now positioned to help the president-elect set foreign and domestic policy and identify potential Cabinet appointees.
Evidently some on the Left thought change was coming (emphasis is mine):
The involvement of so many bundlers has irritated public interest advocates who worry that Obama is building his transition team based on fundraising skills, not qualifications.
“It’s especially troubling during a transition, because lots of people are scrambling and trying to position themselves for all different reasons — they want jobs, they want their legislative priorities on the front burner,” said Mary Boyle, spokeswoman for the nonpartisan advocacy group Common Cause. “The appearance at least is that the money contributed got them to the front of the line.”
All this sends up a red flag to Craig Holman at Public Citizen (emphasis is mine):
Holman said he thinks Obama has a “special obligation” to avoid that approach as he builds his administration.
“Obama has pledged not to take money or allow the active influence of lobbyists or special interests in his administration,” Holman said. “I see the presence of these bundlers as a warning sign. Most of American got excited about the Obama candidacy. I don’t want to see him backpedal on that.”
