Trump Allies Are Offering Personal Access to Him for $1M Donation to ‘Freedom 250’ Group: NYT

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A group that was formed to put Donald Trump’s personal stamp on America’s 250th birthday celebrations is promising access to the president for donors who give at least $1 million to the cause, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Trump announced the creation of the “Freedom 250″ group last December with the goal of organizing “the most spectacular birthday party you’ve ever seen.”

Plans so far include the construction of a marble arch overlooking Washington, an IndyCar race through the streets of D.C., a national prayer event, and an Ultimate Fighting Championship card on the White House lawn.

“But Freedom 250 has also emerged as another vehicle, akin to the White House ballroom project, through which people and companies with interests before the Trump administration can make tax-deductible donations to gain access to, and seek favor with, a president who has maintained a keen interest in fund-raising, and a willingness to use the levers of government power to reward financial supporters,” The Times’ Kenneth P. Vogel, Lisa Friedman and David A. Fahrenthold reported. They added:

Meredith O’Rourke, the president’s top fund-raiser, is amassing private donations for Freedom 250. Her team is circulating a solicitation, obtained by The New York Times, offering “bespoke packages” for donors.

While there are inconsistencies in the solicitation language, the detailed breakdowns of packages for donors indicate that those who give $1 million or more will get invitations to a “private Freedom 250 thank you reception” hosted by Mr. Trump, with a “historic photo opportunity.” Those who give $2.5 million or more also are being offered speaking roles at an event in Washington on July 4.

When The Times approached the White House with concerns of donors paying for access to Trump, a spokeswoman for Freedom 250 said, “The President is incredibly grateful to his donors, but unlike the politicians of the past, he can’t be bought by anyone.” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle added, in a statement to the Times, that Trump was “ensuring that America gets the spectacular birthday it deserves.”

The Times report noted that Freedom 250 appears to be competing with “the similarly named America250, a bipartisan commission established by Congress a decade ago that is planning more traditional celebrations of the United States’ semiquincentennial.”

The report said that Freedom 250 “is threatening to overshadow years of plans meant to reach the broadest cross section of Americans for semiquincentennial celebrations. They are now taking on a Trumpian flare, replete with marble and machismo.”

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