During the 2008 election campaign, candidate Barack Obama famously promised to keep “special interests” out of his administration. But just like presidents before him — and surely after him as well — top donors have received plum government assignments,
Politico reports.
For example Donald Gips, a vice president of Level 3 Communications, generated more than $500,000 in contributions to Obama, and two other company executives brought in at least $150,000.
After the election, Obama put Gips in charge of hiring for the White House, helping to install key allies in high-level positions. A few months later, Obama named Gips ambassador to South Africa.
And Level 3 Communications, whose shares Gips still held, garnered millions of dollars of government stimulus contracts. Gips said he was “completely unaware” that the company received the contracts.
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