When Paul Scott decided to reach out to President Obama, a mere letter or meeting with a lower staff member wasn't enough. The Los Angeles-based Nissan salesman is paying $32,400 out of his own retirement fund so he can make a case for stronger presidential support for electric vehicles in person, USA Today reports.
Scott had been trying to figure out how to best reach out to the president when a fundraiser solicitation arrived. For $10,000 he could have lunch with the president, for $16,2000 he could be a VIP guest with an official photograph as well as a special one hour roundtable discussion. The highest priced package allowed for all the other amenities as well as some private, off-the-record conversation.
"I figured what the hell, I'll go tell him to his face." Scott told USA Today.
What does he get for his money? An hour of round table discussion with 24 other donors and two to four minutes of private conversation. For more on Scott's plans for his conversation, check out the rest of the story here.
UPDATE: USA Today has reported that the Democratic National Committee has turned down Paul Scott's contribution due to the media attention Scott and his message has received. DNC National Finance Director Jordan Kaplan told the newspaper that although Obama shares a devotion to clean energy and electric cars, contributions are meant to support the president, not garner political access.
"The story got spun by the right into a 'pay-for-play' narrative, and I became a liability," Scott told Mother Nature Network. Michelle Malkin, a conservative blogger, picked up the story with the headline 'Electric Car Advocate Pays $16k a Minute to Personally Ask Obama to Push Carbon tax'
Scott said he was very disappointed that he may not get to meet the president, but the media attention allowed him get his message out.
Scott had been trying to figure out how to best reach out to the president when a fundraiser solicitation arrived. For $10,000 he could have lunch with the president, for $16,2000 he could be a VIP guest with an official photograph as well as a special one hour roundtable discussion. The highest priced package allowed for all the other amenities as well as some private, off-the-record conversation.
"I figured what the hell, I'll go tell him to his face." Scott told USA Today.
What does he get for his money? An hour of round table discussion with 24 other donors and two to four minutes of private conversation. For more on Scott's plans for his conversation, check out the rest of the story here.
UPDATE: USA Today has reported that the Democratic National Committee has turned down Paul Scott's contribution due to the media attention Scott and his message has received. DNC National Finance Director Jordan Kaplan told the newspaper that although Obama shares a devotion to clean energy and electric cars, contributions are meant to support the president, not garner political access.
"The story got spun by the right into a 'pay-for-play' narrative, and I became a liability," Scott told Mother Nature Network. Michelle Malkin, a conservative blogger, picked up the story with the headline 'Electric Car Advocate Pays $16k a Minute to Personally Ask Obama to Push Carbon tax'
Scott said he was very disappointed that he may not get to meet the president, but the media attention allowed him get his message out.
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