Democrats usually try to keep the public from seeing how little regard they have for spending taxpayer money, but the truth slipped out last week when Seattle officials decided that city taxpayers could foot the bill for supporting President Barack Obama’s last fundraising visit. As the Seattle Times noted, “Obama’s July 22 visit to the area was purely political“.
Yet the $40,000 in police overtime bills are being paid by the Seattle taxpayers rather than the Democrat National Committee, or other benefactors of the president’s fundraising efforts.
President Obama did not visit Seattle in July for any official events. He only attended fundraisers that were closed to the media and public in order to help bundlers raise money for the Democrat National Committee and for a Democratic Super PAC. Due to the security necessary to protect Obama, the visit included “a massive security presence from local law enforcement” as they were forced to shut down highways and roads while Obama was in town.
If this visit had included any official activities, perhaps an opportunity for his constituents to interact with their President, then the situation would be different, and public use of funds appropriate. However, due to the fact that Obama’s visit was limited to those who could pay their way into fundraisers, it would seem fair for these costs to be absorbed by those who benefitted or even the hosts of those events rather than the Seattle taxpayers.
Alas, the city of Seattle seems to be turning a blind eye to the costs of having the Democratic public figure visit rather than echo the actions of Medina, which billed the host for the additional costs that came from the fundraiser held within its city limits.
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