http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&u=/ap/20041118/ap_on_go_pr_wh/fund_raiser_perks_1&printer=1WASHINGTON - One-third of President Bush (news - web sites)'s top 2000 fund-raisers or their spouses were appointed to positions in his first administration, from ambassadorships in Europe to seats on policy-setting boards, an Associated Press review found.
At least 57 contributors or their spouses were named to agency positions, advisory or decision-making committees and boards or to U.S. delegations.
James Langdon, a Washington lawyer, was named to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, which advises Bush on intelligence-gathering and counterintelligence. Langdon also was among guests at a state dinner honoring the president of Poland, has stayed overnight at Camp David and served on Bush's energy transition team.
Hersh Kozlov, a New Jersey lawyer, was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation, which advises Bush on trade agreements. Texas lobbyist Roger Wallace joined the Inter-American Foundation board, which provides development grants to Central America and the Caribbean.
Three top Bush fund-raisers became Cabinet secretaries: Bush 2000 finance chairman Don Evans at Commerce, Elaine Chao at Labor and Tom Ridge at Homeland Security. At least eight took other high-profile administration jobs, such as State Department chief financial officer Christopher Burnham and Jose Fourquet, U.S. executive director of the Inter-American Development Bank. Wow.
Just bring in the moolahs and it won't matter if you're an incompetent fool.