Undercover Investigation: Lobbyist With Ties To White House Offers Access In Exchange For Bush Library Donations

Times Of London:

A lobbyist with close ties to the White House is offering access to key figures in George W Bush's administration in return for six-figure donations to the private library being set up to commemorate Bush's presidency.

Stephen Payne, who claims to have raised more than $1m for the president's Republican party in recent years, said he would arrange meetings with Dick Cheney, the vice-president, Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, and other senior officials in return for a payment of $250,000 (£126,000) towards the library in Texas.

Payne, who has accompanied Bush and Cheney on several foreign trips, also said he would try to secure a meeting with the president himself.

Read the whole story: Times Of London

Comments

[BethStuart]

I'm suprised the Sunday Times is running this, as it's owned by Rupert Murdoch. Hard to believe his other property, Fox News, would even touch this with a ten-foot pole.

[RRK70]

I wondered if this could be some back-door way to sleight Joe Biden? I mean, the Bush "brand name" is ruined already, why not bring down others through association. I mean it is hurting McCain, why not use it to hurt others. Maybe I am being paranoid, but this sort of story coming from a Murdoch company is rather strange.

[Shaddup]

Like anybody's gonna go to the George bush Library. It'll probably be like a video store because you know they won't have books or the internet.

[scouserinlondon]

WRONG.They will have lots of books, all personally selected by president Bush.
Colouring books.....pop-up books........and lots of those informative paperback books,... I think they are called comics...........all paid for by cheque books.

SEE....lots and lots of books......So There!!!!

P.S.forgot all those Bibles.

[nastyvirus]

100,000 new copies of "My Pet Goat"

[PierreLeClerke]

You want the rest of the story? Dig up the real dirt on the Hunt Oil Bush Library / Iraq Oil field concession.

Bought and paid for folks, well in advance.

[JulieSA]

It's time to start disclosing these library donations. Clinton sold pardons for donations, and received a lot of Saudi money for his library. As former president, he's making third world uranium mining deals for anyone who'll give to his foundation.

And now there's this. Waiting to see if Bush sells pardons as Clinton did.

Time for more disclosure.

[LeonBNJ]

Don't forget the big deal of during HC's Demo nom run that she wouldn't release the donations list for her husband Bill's Presidential Library and Museum. .
To me the so called 'Presidential Libraries' where funding comes from donations should be ended now and GWB never has one. All Presidential papers and records should be in a simple but fire safe warehouse in the DC area with strict laws to make sure all possible documents are released (pending legitment National Security and personal privacy data issues). The funding is a basically a bribe to an outgoing President, with too much opportunity for trouble as this article suggests. The usual attached 'museums' are a joke, often hyperspun shrines to the respective President, historicaly inaccurate as usually ignore serious scandals and bad policies. This would also save the National Archives and local governments (who often get scammed into funding for the site and access due to potential tourism bucks) many millions in funding by taxpayers in the future.

[suzukimom]

Great idea!

[edwarvir]

Who really cares. !!!!

[Citizen08]

All Bush cares about is being known as the Worst President of all Times! He is so jealous of Obama that’s why he can’t help but inject himself into this election… you know McCain and Bush are coordinating everything right now, I guarantee you McCain is getting privileged information. They are so worried that if Obama wins, the “blank” will hit the Fan' when the Obama Administration starts digging through everything the Bush Administration did illegally!

This stuff hear is why Obama would have a major problem putting Hillary on the ticket unless Bill releases information on his donors!!

Another interesting thing that seems to be happening now is the Iraqi Government will not commit to a deal without a timetable for troop withdrawals… So, now we are hearing rumors that Bush is considering possible early Troop withdrawal seems that Obama has been right all along on things concerning this war! In his 2002 speech, he predicted much of what has happened.

[dr4Will]

the repugs have to bribe members to give to this most unpopular presidents museum--then they'll pay people to visit it!!!

[bosshogg]

our media is a joke........................

[MissingAmerica]

The White House says it cannot be bought? Maybe because those that bought this administration are doing so well they don't want to "flip" their property!

[boonjava]

Washington really is crooked. Now I understand why Obama got out early. There is such an ingrained culture of corruption that leaves too few unscathed.

[pkohan]

Wow - imagine if we got reporting like this from... A DOMESTIC NEWS SOURCE?!?! It figures that a UK journalist would be at the forefront of actually INVESTIGATING something juicy.

[aurora57]

There is no such thing as investigative reporting in the US anymore. Look at what the MSM has become. Unless you travel outside the US, the only view available is highly skewed by US news outlets driven by advertising dollars or particular political agendas.

Why is the Bush interview from Ireland just now getting attention? How was that suppressed? Media complicity with government is pathetic and has ruined what was once an honorable business.

[bayside]

This story surprised me . I havent heard about corruption in the the white house hardly any corruption from the media, bloggers yes, but media no ,for for almost 8 years.. What happen they must have stopped drinking the koolaid. Good job

[YankeeCanuck]

That's because it's a UK paper!

[SCG2]

"The White House said it would not be influenced by such donations."

[RnR]

that's why they got immunity

[enlighteninglad]

So now it costs $250,000 to get lied to? I always thought that was free. What will Bush and Co. think of next to rip people off?

[Mediocrates]

Yes, yes, it's terrible. An outrage.

But I couldn't even muster the energy to push the "shift key" and the "number 1" key to make the exclamation point for that.

Outrage fatigue isn't helped by the fact that any criminal prosecution would result in a pardon. Not to mention that a criminal prosecution would ever get off the ground because just by using the White House lavatory these days can get you "executive privilege".

One $ one vote! God Bless America.