Craig Engle Comments on Barack Obama’s Inauguration Fundraising
Political Law partner Craig Engle was quoted in a Roll Call article on President Obama’s decision to collect unlimited corporate cash for his inauguration, while disclosing less about donors than he did four years ago.
Roll Call reported that, “The Federal Election Commission requires full disclosure of all inaugural donors, though the reporting deadline is not until three months after the event. But while donations must be disclosed, expenditures need not be.” In 2009, Mr. Obama voluntarily imposed a ban on corporate inaugural funds and set a $50,000 cap on individual donations. But for his second inauguration, the president is accepting unlimited corporate funds and donations upwards of $1 million.
“This inaugural is accepting more money in higher amounts than ever before,” said Mr. Engle. “I don’t personally think there’s anything wrong with that, as long as there are expenses that need to be defrayed. My quarrel always is with fundraising that, for lack of a better term, is off the books, that doesn’t have a very apparent purpose.”
“When there isn’t disclosure, there is unhealthy speculation,” Mr. Engle noted. “And you end up having to defend your undisclosed actions, rather than to get on with the business of your administration.”
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