Big names from Silicon Valley, Hollywood help...

Big names from Silicon Valley, Hollywood help bankroll inauguration

Category: Presidents/Royals
Posted 11 months ago by Ladyree
Credit: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11363819?source=rss
WASHINGTON — Halle Berry, Magic Johnson, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks chipped in $50,000 each. Several top Googlers — Larry Page, Eric Schmidt, Marissa Mayer — also contributed, along with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

The inauguration of Barack Obama is being bankrolled by dozens of celebrities and many regular folks who just want to help out. The Bay Area is well-represented among Obama donors, with venture capitalists, academics, lawyers and activists on the list.

With less than three weeks to go, the inaugural committee has collected more than $20 million to pay for parades, parties and all the jumbo video screens and amenities for a crowd Jan. 20 that could total 2 million or more.

"We`ve opened up the Mall to folks without tickets who want to witness the inauguration from a vantage point near the Capitol," said Shannon Gilson, spokeswoman for the committee. "We`re incurring substantial costs to do that, but we don`t have a final budget number yet."

Pledging transparency and tighter restrictions on fundraising, the Obama inaugural committee is posting all contributions of more than $200 on its Web site (www.pic2009.org/donors) as they come in. The law requires disclosure of donors 90 days after the inauguration.

The Obama committee`s tougher disclosure standard "demonstrates the new administration`s commitment to changing business as usual in Washington," said John Rogers, co-chair

Related Links: Halle Berry, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Magic Johnson, Barack Obama
Big names from Silicon Valley, Hollywood help bankroll inauguration
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See Also: Halle Berry News :: Steven Spielberg News :: Tom Hanks News :: Magic Johnson News :: Barack Obama News
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