Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Former Obama campaign team selling access to president?

Details

  • Description

    White House denies published report

  • Duration 4:51
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Fox News alert on a growing controversy for the administration now as we hear calls for President Obama to shut down.

A well publicized and well known team a former campaign officials.

-- now accused of trying to sell access.

To the president and the White House.

Welcome to America live everyone I'm Megyn Kelly.

We -- this story yesterday the president's former campaign team has formed a lobbying group -- focused on advancing mr.

Obama's legislative agenda.

But to get the ball rolling -- recently sent out a fund raising pitch.

That sounded like they were selling access to the president and the New York Times had a long report.

About this whole thing over the weekend.

Here's the White House spokesman Jay Carney yesterday fielding questions from Fox News White House correspondent.

Ed Henry.

You're not -- the point that was report about -- times.

That you know he's for all the reforms.

If you get 500000 dollars more this group you get access to present again the president is that true of them all president is engaged in an effort to.

Pass.

Items on his agenda and outside organizations that support that agenda like.

Organizations that are environmentally nation support aspects of the president environmental agenda or organizations -- support -- manufacturing agenda.

You know he they.

Administration officials -- meet with them including the president.

But the fact of the matter is this is an independent organization that is supporting an agenda.

Chief White House correspondent Ed Henry is live at the White House now Ed are so let's start there that the that that this -- -- -- times that broke this.

Over the weekend -- talked about this and and -- -- escaping piece that really talked about how.

Now the deal is if you give up 500000.

Dollars or more to what used to be organizing for America.

But now is organizing for action.

It's got all the players you know Jim -- scene.

-- the other what.

Stephanie Cutter and others -- are going to be consultants to it at the very least in right organizing for action what action.

Legislative action that the president is pushing on gun control immigration and other issues so when Jay Carney -- that cliff just said.

This group is independent.

Of the president and in his people on his agenda that doesn't sound exactly true when you hear.

And look on the organization's own website and they say that they're promoting.

The president's agenda not that -- independent of the president so on that important point about.

What the New York Times reported was that for 500000 dollar donation to this group.

It -- they claim you'll get access.

Quarterly meetings with the president of the United States that sounds like selling access and that's why today the new development is that common cause.

Not exactly a conservative group.

Came out today and it didn't just say reform this they said shut this group -- they are now urging.

Jim Messina and other top Obama campaign officials -- -- now running this outside group to actually shut it down altogether it's a 501 C four.

A nonprofit group they say that that this is a going to be flouting the rules and it is not something that should move forward.

You -- -- another -- -- -- just look bad because that the New York Times does report that OK so not only do you get if you if you give 500000 dollars or more.

You get on -- national advisory board.

For president Obama's group OK so now you you have that access that you're on the boards you get the -- up by in the ears of all these people who have the president's -- As often as you want but you also in addition that had the privilege of attending quarterly meetings with the president himself.

Along with other meetings at the White House -- for Obama has real has railed against this sort of influence peddling.

That he'd always puts on the Republicans but he supposed to deplore this kind of thing has has.

Jay Carney said anything more about about the actual access they're gonna provide to -- the president himself.

Sure it's -- -- important question was one we -- pressing yesterday -- did not get too specific about what kind of access to the president.

These donors will get -- -- right that is the most important question here it's what common cause and others are focusing on so it's an appropriate question but I will say that other officials after that briefing suggested to me.

That the access will not happen at the White House there will not actually.

-- at the White House these quarterly meetings however even if the president leaves the White House and goes to a hotel and I can share somewhere else.

It's still access potentially to the president that is states who has influence over all of these major legislative issues whether to sequester right now what budget cuts are going to be made -- what what it's not going to be made about what's gonna happen on immigration guns the economy the budget deficit you name it.

And so this is why president.

Who in 20072008.

And then again in the 2012 campaign.

Talked about cleaning up the system and railed against Mitt Romney by the way in the conservative super pacs which were pouring untold sums into the campaign now they're getting.

Questions asked about what they're doing with money on the democratic side it's --

Load More