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Obama stimulates his friends' art groups
By: David Freddoso
Commentary Staff Writer
08/11/09 4:56 PM EDT
Our editorial of today discusses the many regrettable and forgettable arts groups that are receiving small stimulus grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, such as the producers of timeless classics like "Perverts Put Out" and "What's Under That Skirt?"
What is less commonly known is the connection that several of these groups have to President Obama's 2008 campaign. Leaders of at least seven of the fortunate, newly stimulated and NEA-subsidized art groups also happened to serve on the Arts Policy Committee of the Obama campaign last year.
Among them is Obama's law school classmate, Nancy McCullough, whose California Lawyers for the Arts received a $50,000 grant. CLA is an advocacy organization which takes government money and, among other things, uses it to urge people to write their elected officials and ask for more government money.
A $50,000 grant goes to Jazz at Lincoln Center, whose founding chairman is Obama Arts panel member Gordon J. Davis. Another $50,000 grant goes to Americans for the Arts, where Sonia Tower, Obama's “Arts Policy Co-Convener,” formerly served as vice president.
Obama arts campaigner Sharon Jensen is executive director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the arts ($25,000 stimulus grant) and a member of the advisory board for the Deaf West Theatre ($25,000 stimulus grant).
Two other Obama campaign alumni whose groups are getting stimulus grants are Kareem Dale (Black Ensemble Theatre, $50,000 stimulus grant), and Steve Lavine (President, California Institute of the Arts, $50,000 stimulus grant).
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