Tuesday, September 11, 2012

CAP Feted at Democratic National Convention

The liberal-leaning think tank Center for American Progress (CAP), which has strong connections to the Obama Administration, was feted by Wal-Mart at this year's Democratic National Convention (DNC).

Here is how the Free Beacon describes the event:
The party, first reported by Politico, will reunite Center for American Progress chairman John Podesta with his brother Tony Podesta, whose Podesta Group lobby shop is cohosting the party, and which also has a lengthy roster of controversial corporate clients including bailed out Bank of America and GE, which paid no federal taxes in 2010. John Podesta helped found the lobbying group with his brother before starting the Center for American Progress with undisclosed funds.
While CAP does not disclose its donors, Wal-Mart has disclosed giving between $500,000 and $1 million to the group over the last decade.
CAP pointedly has avoided criticism of Wal-Mart despite the company’s anti-union activism, focusing its attacks on companies such as Koch Industries, which has thousands of union employees but has refused to donate funds to the Center for American Progress.
The Charlotte party will offer a chance for Tony Podesta’s clients to network with Center for American Progress “policy experts,” and for companies like Wal-Mart to stay in the good graces of an influential organization with close ties to the Obama administration.
Here is a link to the RSVP page for the party (sorry, it's already over).  The link says that the party, which occurred on September 5, 2012, was hosted by Heather Podesta, John Podesta, Leslie Dach, and Mary Dickie.  It took place at King's Kitchen in Charlotte, North Carolina.