A houseful of former President Bill Clinton’s cronies who coughed up millions in return for a night’s stay in the famous Lincoln Bedroom in the East Wing of the White House are now donating to his wife, and at least one expects turndown service at the White House if Hillary Clinton is elected.
“Last time I stayed in the Queen’s Bedroom, so I need to be upgraded to the Lincoln Bedroom,” said former Florida state Rep. Dick Batchelor.
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“I have no idea whether that would take place or not, but anybody who says they don’t want to visit the White House and spend the night is probably not telling the truth. If I had an opportunity to go back, I would absolutely go back,” he told the Center for Public Integrity. “I need to return the towels.”
The Lincoln Bedroom. Center for Public Integrity/Whitehousemuseum.org
The Center broke the original story of Bill Clinton trading nights in the White House for donations. The story became a huge scandal, one of several fund raising affairs that enveloped the president and his team.
In 1996, the Center published a report called “Fat Cat Hotel,” and detailed how 75 Clinton donors were treated like royalty inside the White House.
In their new report, produced with Slate, they found that of the original 66 “Fat Cats” still alive, 34 have donated $1.15 million to Hillary or super PACS backing her since 2013.
Leading up to his 1996 reelection, Clinton heartily endorsed selling sleepovers suggested by his top fundraiser, Terry McAuliffe, now the governor of Virginia and one of Hillary Clinton’s top supporters.
They didn’t just occur in the White House. The Center reported that some stayed at Camp David.
The Clinton’s also invited many friends to stay over at both.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
