President combines trip to WTC with two fundraising events
Attending A-list gala at Sarah Jessica Parker’s house then party at Plaza
Official status of visit means public must pay for part of the trip
Hugo Gye and Louise Boyle
The Daily Mail [UK]
14 June 2012
Tonight is set to be a busy night for Barack Obama, as he speaks at not one but two A-list fundraising events in Manhattan.
However, the President’s re-election campaign will not have to pay the full cost of his jaunt to the Big Apple, as he is combining the trip with an official event which will be charged to the taxpayer.
Before the fundraisers, one at Sarah Jessica Parker’s house and one at the five-star Plaza Hotel, Mr Obama scheduled a visit to the World Trade Center site…
…He frequently combines the events with his official duties, which allows his re-election campaign to defray the President’s travel costs by charging part of them to the public purse.
For a trip like today’s, involving both official duties and campaign events, a formula is applied so that the campaign pays part of the costs – but it still works out cheaper than making a trip purely for campaigning.
Mr Obama must be accompanied by Secret Service protection and fly on Air Force One at all times for security reasons, further increasing the cost of his travels…
Ceremony: The President and other dignitaries signed a steel girder at the World Trade Center site. Click on the image to enlarge.
Read the complete article at The Daily Mail.
