A committee working on behalf of President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee is offering an array of novel fund-raising “packages” to the incumbent chief executive’s deep-pocketed Hollywood supporters.
An invitation being circulated this week by the Obama Victory Fund, which splits the contributions it receives between the president’s campaign and the DNC, offers well-heeled entertainment industry Dems three contribution opportunities built around the First Family’s upcoming visits to Los Angeles. Donors willing to give $71,600 per couple will receive the “Platinum Package”, which entitles them to two seats at the Democrats’ five-event local 2012 speaker series, entry to a Jan. 31 reception for first lady Michelle Obama with a photo opportunity and a February dinner with the president at a private home.
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For $35,800 per person — plus a $9,200 contribution to the Swing State Victory Fund — Obama supporters can get the “Gold Package”, which includes one seat for speaker series, the reception and photo op with Michelle Obama and one seat at the dinner for the President. The budget-priced “Silver Package” costs $15,000 per person, which gets the donor a seat for the series, general admission to a February fund-raising event with the President, the reception and photo op with Michelle and a Feb. 1 luncheon plus photo op, again with the first lady.
The Obama Victory Fund has been one of the most lucrative of the reelection campaign’s fund-raising efforts, and according to last year’s federal election documents, it collected $39 million during the first half of 2011 alone. Californians contributed more than 25%, or $9.9 million of that, according to an analysis by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, and Angelenos gave more ($5.18 million) than residents of any other city. Only the securities and investment industry contributed more than the entertainment industry, which coughed up 6.5 percent, or $2.53 million, during the reporting period. (New figures are due out next month, after filings are posted Jan. 31)
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Among the bigger entertainment-industry givers for the first three quarters of last year were employees of Comcast ($199,850), CAA ($111,900), DreamWorks ($107,400), Sony ($95,900), Disney ($84, 600), Time Warner ($81,500) and News Corp. ($74,400). Just to show that all the smart players hedge their bets — even in politics — the Obama Victory Fund received a $76,600 contribution from a Massachusetts-based private equity fund, Bain Capital, Mitt Romney’s former home.
