I hope readers appreciate the irony in the use of the term “shocker” in the headline. Sometimes these things don’t come across on the Internet.

The Center for Public Integrity reports:

Donald Trump’s inaugural committee is offering huge perks — prime tickets, luxurious lodging, access to the president-elect himself — in exchange for six- and seven-figure contributions from individual and corporate contributors.

Donors in the “$1,000,000+” category will receive four tickets to a “leadership luncheon” billed as an “exclusive inaugural event” for donors in that category and featuring “select Cabinet appointees and House and Senate leadership to honor our most generous inaugural supporters,” according to a brochure obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.

They’ll also get four tickets to a dinner with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, and eight tickets to a “ladies luncheon” billed as “an opportunity to meet the ladies of the first families.” In addition, they’ll receive tickets to a series of other dinners and receptions featuring Trump, Pence and other officials, and eight “premier access” tickets to a black-tie inaugural ball attended by the president, vice president and their wives.

This is nothing new, of course. The piece notes that Obama, after banning corporate donations for his 2009 inaugural, gladly welcomed them for his 2013 version — just as Trump is welcoming them now, for his 2017 version. As a Public Citizen spokesman explains: “To throw a lot of money into a big party to welcome a new president, these corporations believe that is endearing them to the next administration.”

Here’s my favorite part of the report:

All the donor packages include “Priority Booking at Premier Inaugural Hotel(s),” allowing donors the chance to book prime hotel rooms (at their own expense, of course, and with a four-night minimum stay). . . . Not indicated on the brochure?

Whether one of those “Premier Inaugural Hotel(s)” might be the president-elect’s own newly opened Trump International Hotel, a luxury hotel located five blocks from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue and along the inaugural parade route.

You know it does, girlfriend!

Trading money for access has always been the way of Washington, and it always will be. If you voted for Barack Obama thinking he was going to change things, you were a chump sucker.

Sorry to say, the same applies to anyone who voted for Donald Trump for the same reason.

Status of swamp = Still Undrained.

[Disclaimer]