Trump Turns Inauguration Into Pay-For-Play Scheme, Sells Access To Highest Bidder

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:37 pm

For donors who contribute six or more figures to his inaugural committee, Donald Trump is offering up-close access to himself and other top officials, including Mike Pence, according to a document obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.

The document shows that access to Trump and members of his incoming cabinet will be sold to the highest bidder.

More from the Center for Public Integrity report:

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Donors in the “$1,000,000+” category will receive four tickets to a “leadership luncheon” billed as an “exclusive inaugural event” for donors in that category and featuring “select Cabinet appointees and House and Senate leadership to honor our most generous inaugural supporters,” according to a brochure obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.

They’ll also get four tickets to a dinner with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, and eight tickets to a “ladies luncheon” billed as “an opportunity to meet the ladies of the first families.” In addition, they’ll receive tickets to a series of other dinners and receptions featuring Trump, Pence and other officials, and eight “premier access” tickets to a black-tie inaugural ball attended by the president, vice president and their wives.

Depending on the size of the donation, donors can land anything from a lunch with Trump’s cabinet nominees to a candlelight dinner featuring Trump and his wife, as well as Mike and Karen Pence.

This is essentially a pay-for-play scheme. If you donate enough money, you’ll get penciled into the president-elect’s busy inauguration schedule.

The New York Times notes that Trump is hoping to use these benefits packages to raise $65 to $75 million by late January, in time for the events leading up to his inauguration.

Once again, the president-elect is showing that he isn’t all that interested in fulfilling his campaign promise to reduce special interest control in Washington. Instead, as power players in D.C. jockey for influence over the incoming president, Trump appears to be happy to give it to them.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.