The Center for Public Integrity has released a report examining the special interests paying for the Republican National Convention (RNC). Among the official Host Committee events and gifts for RNC delegates are tickets to the US Open tennis tournament, Mets-Marlins baseball tickets, free metrocards, tours of CNN and NBC Studios, shopping excursions, and exclusive dining events. In addition to the “official” events, there are a large number of unofficial parties planned by corporations and lobbying groups including AFLAC, the Edison Electric Institute, and the Republican National Coalition for Life while “in-kind” gifts are given by General Motors (300 vehicles donated to the convention), 100 Panasonic plasma monitors, Blackberry electronic devices, and much more. Aside from the money contributed by special interest groups, the New York City Comptroller has estimated that the RNC will cost the city of New York $309 million.
The Michigan delegation to the RNC, including prominent Michigan Republicans such as Betsy Devos, Sharon Wise, and Chuck Yob, will be treated to the most lavish of these corporate gifts. Michigan’s delegation of 61 delegates and 51 alternates will be staying at the Hilton New York. While much of their visit will be spent schmoozing with corporate donors and the leaders of the Republican Party behind closed doors, Michigan’s RNC delegation will travel outside the 20-block security perimeter on August 29 to attend Wonderful Town on Broadway (the shows are all sponsored in part by the wonderful “liberal” newspaper The New York Times), where they will be met by the “Chaos on Broadway” attempt to disrupt the delegates’ party on Broadway.
Previous Media Mouse RNC Updates:
- Court Rejects Central Park Protest on Sunday
- UFPJ will not use Highway as Protest Location
- Democrats Worried about RNC Protests
- NYPD: Weather Underground Directing RNC Protests
- Bring your earplugs to NYC
- FBI and NYPD Engaging in Widespread Surveillance and Intimidation of Protestors
- Mayor Bloomberg calls freedom of speech a “privilege”
- NY City Offers Retail Discounts to “Peaceful Protesters”
- 258-Mile March from DNC en Route to the RNC
- “The People” Get Ready to Take on Democrat and Republican Conventions
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