It’s a common and questionable practice pursued by recent presidents, Republican and Democratic: Fly somewhere to raise money, throw in an official event, and have the taxpayers pick up the dime for some of the travel since a portion of the work is government business.
Now, it appears, the first lady is and will be and active participant in this seedy practice, at an extra cost to taxpayers.
Mrs. Obama will be in California today and tomorrow, visiting Los Angeles, Pasadena, Oakland and San Francisco. She will hold two official “first lady” events and be the star attraction at FOUR fundraisers.
Whether she would have attended the official events if she wasn’t going to troll for money is anyone’s guess. But what seems likely is the cost of flying Michelle out to the West Coast so she can soak the legions of wealthy Californian Democrats for cash is being mitigated by having the official appearances on the schedule.
The first lady’s office did not respond to a request for information about whether and how much of the trip will be paid for by the government. But with official events scheduled, it’s very safe to assume that a chunk – perhaps most – of the first lady’s travel aboard a specially equipped air force plane along with her security detail and entourage will be paid for by taxpayers.
Mrs. Obama today will hold a fundraising luncheon in Pasadena and a dinner in Los Angeles. Tomorrow, cash will pass hands at a breakfast in Oakland and a lunch in San Francisco.
TV crews will be BARRED from the fundraising events, which will instead be covered by a limited “pool” of print reporters.
TV crews will be permitted, however, into Mrs. Obama’s first official event today at 10:00 am PDT, an appearance with Hollywood types to promote her “Joining Forces” initiative to support military families. At 3:00 pm, she will tape an appearance on the iCarly children’s show, again to promote Joining Forces.
288 thoughts on “Michelle Obama to Hold Four Calif. Fundraisers”
This is definitely the most corrupt Administration that we’ve had in the last 50 years. They have no shame or sense of decency. They make Nixon look like “honest Abe” , in comparison……
Surprise! Surprise! I think I’m gonna be sick.
I’m disappointed in you Keith. Throwing out AnnonA’s comment was the wrong thing to do. She made some very good observations and you just censored her because you interpreted her comment as racial. Political correctness is a disease that not even you are immune from.
I wasn’t being PC. I don’t know why it was necessary to bring skin color into this. I want to keep race out of this as much as possible, unless it’s directly relevant to the conversation. It seemed needlessly provocative to me. Starting up something for no good reason where everyone begins calling each other racist and so forth completely steers things away from the actual points. I don’t know what her intention was, but even if AnnonnA’s comment was more of a way to comment on those who accuse people critical of Michelle of being racist – I’ve gotten the same attacks – I want to keep skin color out. I’ve managed to write about the Obama’s for three years without ever feeling the need to describe what shade of skin they have. So that’s why I did it.
Keith
Hey wake up it is the Obama’s that are racist. They went to a racist church 20 years. If you look at Obama’a secret service detail they are all Black. No Keith they are the racist anti Semites that is why they are destroying the white middle class abandoning Israel and at the same time funneling money to the welfare programs his peeps use.
Chavez II
Why are we footing the bill?
Enough taxpayer abuse, already.
What the hell? We have to pay taxes for this!
This is more abuse of taxpayers, and our children. Because, Future generations are now born as slaves, already owing a debt they did not create. Total B&S. I hope I live long enough to see truth and justice delivered to this organized crime cartel of moneychangers and their go-fers.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for ANY OF YOU, citizen nor politician/bureaucrat.
TAX FACT:
1.
“Exempt income” is legally defined EXCLUSIVELY in 26 CFR 1.861-8T(d)(2)(ii)
2.
Income that is not exempt (taxable income) is legally defined in 26 CFR 1.861-8T(d)(2)(iii)
SOURCE: US TAX REGULATIONS
ECFR dot GPOACCESS dot GOV
(Title 26)
Now search U.S. tax regulations for “excluded income”, “eliminated income”, or “eliminated items”.
Or just Google excluded income.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for letting bankers, politicians, bureaucrats, and judges operate a tax scam on you, and your children, your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren.
Wake up, smell coffee.
Watching the spokes people for this bunch, I feel really stupid that my business has not been part of the recovery that has been going on for two years, or wait, nor have my customers
This woman is a pig, both she and her loser husband have no problem gouging the already suffering tax payer for their fun, frolic and fundraising.
tell her to stay home. we did not elect her to anything so she has no right to use us dollars for her junk. tell her to stay home and tend to white house business and not travel at our expense. i object to her spending any u.s. money for herself. she is not an elected official
frank la may
summerfield florida
Typical liberalism. WE the people need to retake this nation and set things to rights.
Check my blog for an essay on Secession.
Hey Mrs. O, go to hell.
Why are citizens paying for political fundraisers! This is fraud!
With our debts, unemployment, food and fuel inflation,and the devalued dollar Marie Antoinette Obama and her playboy big spender hubby are ringing blood from US voters to keep their greedy lifestyle.
…I’d love to have her ‘old’ job at the hospital that they never re-hired after she vacated (for $300k/year)….
Micky or Donald or anybody but BO.
I will vote for anybody except BO, does not matter who, all are better…
I just hope you idiots who voted for obozo and moochie are suffering more than us smart people who saw right through their BS and didn’t vote for them!
she is not a govt. official, she is not elected, she is a private citizen, sheneeds to pay her own way or have the DNC pay the bill.
At least she doesn’t golf.
Why should anyone be surprised, Chicago politics at work.
Question:
If President O’Bama is doing such a great job and everyone loves him,
Why, Oh, Why does he need ONE BILLION DOLLARS for a campaign fund.
Please someone explain, I am confused.
Well, you can’t deny she is a “cheeky” one. For the “first time in my life” there is a “First Lady” of whom there can be little praise Oh, but I apologize! There has just been soooooo much!
At least the money is being spent in the USA. Are you going to risk the prospect of putting the FLOTUS at risk over the cost of providing her secure transport? It is cheaper in the long run to bite the bullet and let her travel as she wishes.
Let her stay home or pay her own way. We tax payers owe her Na Da.
SO, what else is new? These two will call a pretend event, spend taxpayer money, and party on!
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Obama is still the least qualified candidate to hold the office. He is improving his golf game though and may have a chance on the senior tour after a second term with another 250 rounds on the taxpayer under his belt.
Would someone please arrange to have Kalifornya keep Moochshell? We really don’t want here or her jug eared, skinny jerk husband back.
Hope and Change my ass.
So what else is new. Chicago Ghetto Politics is all this couple has ever know. Oh and BHO is hosting a DNC fund raiser in the White House to be attended by Wall Street “Fat Cats” can you imagine what would be on the front page of the NY Times if Palin hosted such an event?
523 days 16 hours 15 minutes until regime change.
I’m VERY republican and can’t stand this administration, but come on… The first lady should be able to travel anywhere she wants and we should fly her there.
If the trip is primarily for fundraisers she (or the campaign) should reimburse the government for the cost of a 1st class ticket, but we can’t expect her to pay for the actual cost of the plane or the security (that would basically force her to stay home, or severely handicap to the campaign).
If the president or first lady want or need to travel on non-governmental business, we have to pay for the overwhelming majority of the cost of their trip. Yes they should pay the symbolic 1st class fair, but that’s just the way it is.
Enough taxpayer abuse, already.
What the hell? We have to pay taxes for this!
This is more abuse of taxpayers, and our children. Because, Future generations are now born as slaves, already owing a debt they did not create. Total B&S. I hope I live long enough to see truth and justice delivered to this organized crime cartel of moneychangers and their go-fers.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for ANY OF YOU, citizen nor politician/bureaucrat.
TAX FACT:
1.
“Exempt income” is legally defined EXCLUSIVELY in 26 CFR 1.861-8T(d)(2)(ii)
2.
Income that is not exempt (taxable income) is legally defined in 26 CFR 1.861-8T(d)(2)(iii)
SOURCE: US TAX REGULATIONS
ECFR dot GPOACCESS dot GOV
(Title 26)
Now search U.S. tax regulations for “excluded income”, “eliminated income”, or “eliminated items”.
Or just Google excluded income.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for letting bankers, politicians, bureaucrats, and judges operate a tax scam on you, and your children, your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren.
You wonder why you don’t hear from these corrupt politicians, it’s because they hold you in so much contempt they feel you don’t need an answer. Your job is to pay the bill and not to question them. Time is running out, all of them need to go.
Public funds to pay for her trip, but minimal press coverage allowed. Once again, the most transparent administration in history is doing it to the taxpayers. Will they lock the press reporters in a closet like they did at that idiot Biden’s fundraiser?
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Just how much more of this damn corruption can we take? We are broke, people out of work with no prospect for a job, gas through the roof, groceries getting expensive, and we have a King and Queen destroyng the American Dream. They spend our money like they have won the Lottery. They will corrupt the whole election process and put themselves back in office so we will be stuck with the sorry SOB’s! The only thing I see is a Revolution! I smell it, it’s in the Air!
I smell it, it’s in the Air!
I wish our generation had the guts for one but no way we are spoiled and lazy and can’t get of Netflix long enough to fight for freedom.
This is the open administration we were promised? Golf and spend the Obama way. I thought that Michelle was the smart one. Alas, both of them are just scam artist bilking America dry. Election Day (now know as Unemployment Day for Obama) can’t come soon enough.
I hope that plane goes down in flames.
Where or where is the transparency????
Since when did this woman become an official of the US gov’t? I don’t remember her being voted into office.
Dem, Rep, Indep…. who ever… should not be doing this…
and I’m tired of people saying impeach obama for war crimes…. yeah we should, but you should also try bush jr… but in reality the rockefellers and rothchilds need to be brought to justice…. the men behind the puppet presidents.
Mrs Obama is a wonderful & intelligent first
lady I love her HOW DARE SHE USES TAX PAYER
MONEY TO RAISE MONEY
FOR HER HUSBAND TO WIN THE NEXT PRESIDENTAL ELECTION.
I only hope that these 2 really LOVE America. I am starting to have
my doubts. I do know they dislike the Jews.
Please G-d save our country.
N
These pukes simply have to go !
I,m sick of both of them.
Pingback: Taxpayers to Foot the Bill for Michelle Obama’s Fundraising | The Lonely Conservative
It is definitely a fine line between identifying what is a business expense (or in this case, a tax payer expense) and what is a campaign expense. I know from my company’s experience, when you are traveling someplace on business in support of multiple tasks, the cost of the trip is split up proportion to the work being done. So, in this case, if the First Lady is spending two hours on “official business” and four hours on campaign business, then 2/3 of her travel costs will be charged to the campaign and the rest to the tax payers.
The costs associated with her Secret Service detail is automatically applied to the tax payers since they would be assigned to her even if she was staying in Washington, DC during the trip.
Who cares what Michelle sponsors fundraisers. But when it comes to us taxpayers are going to be sponsored the bill then I get mighty Pi**ed off. When people are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. Don’t you get it people they are part of the globlelist. Friends of Soros and Move-on group. Don’t give them a dime. Try a penny. Maybe then the message will sink in.
Heck the Ruler and his wife will do whatever they want and charge it to us serfs. Why not? They could rob Fort Knox and the lamestream media would just yawn spike the story and look the other way. You Media are disgusting.
forget it!
“Now, it appears, the first lady is and will be and active participant in this seedy practice…”
Everything Barry and Michelle do can be classified as seedy.
To RufusVonDufus…Barry is the worst thing to happen to this country EVER.
Mr. & Mrs. Moocher have no limits when it comes to corruption and gaming the system. The Chicago way taught them very well. I just pray that they will have to answer to the people for many of their very questionable escapades.
The Congress is TOTALLY WORTHLESS as they are the ones who allow these CRIMES to happen. This would make them crimminals also. Simple….
Corruption at its worst…
I find it funny that Michelle has to go to Californicated to squeeze the wealthy Democrats for more money. Coming up with that BILLION needed to buy the next election is going to be tough.
Somehow, I think the folks who birthed this country would be ashamed and sickened by the present state of the union. Politicians becoming such simply for high salaries, perks, benefits, and free travel. Our country is wallowing in the stink capitalism instead of shining in the light of democracy.
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