Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 16, 1993 TAG: 9301160124
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RITA BEAMISH ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
FREEBIES HELP INAUGURATION GO ROUND
Some revelers at Bill Clinton's inauguration will be decked out in Bloomingdale's finery, drive new Detroit-issued cars, and raise toasts with Korbel champagne - all at the expense of the companies.Dozens of corporations are giving millions of dollars worth of goods and services to the inauguration. Without the largess, the inaugural price tag would be millions of dollars more than it is - approaching $30 million.
"We could not have pulled off this inauguration without the support we got from individuals and corporations," said inaugural committee spokesman Richard Mintz.
To pay for the array of events next week, Clinton's representatives, like planners of inaugurations past, solicited help from many big political donors. Besides loans and cash contributions, the companies were asked for everything from communications equipment to cake.
Critics have the same complaint about corporate involvement in the inauguration as they have about heavy hitters who help fund political campaigns - that it amounts to influence buying.
"It does open the doors; it does provide access. They give it because it's political money," said Ellen Miller of the Center for Responsive Politics, a private group that tracks political donations.
Organizers say most of the inaugural budget comes from loans to be paid back from the sale of memorabilia, tickets and TV ads during broadcast of the principal events.
Additionally, between $2 million and $3 million in cash contributions have come from such heavy political givers as Dwayne Andreas, chairman of Archer-Daniels-Midland, and the American Federation of Teachers and other labor unions.
Anheuser-Busch gave $100,000, plus a $100,000 loan, and bought four commercial slots in Tuesday's televised inaugural gala.
Also donating goods:
Bloomingdale's, the New York-based upscale department store chain, will outfit the "Faces of Hope" - citizens who impressed the Clintons during the presidential campaign - and their guests, for the black-tie inaugural balls. The cost of the evening wear for the 116 people will be about $100,000, said store spokeswoman Ann Stock.
USAir, the financially strapped Virginia-based airline, has committed $200,000 worth of plane tickets to fly the Faces of Hope to Washington, said spokeswoman Susan Young.
Motorola outfitted the inaugural staff with 500 pagers, 200 cellular phones, 900 two-way radios and other services, for a total value of $1.5 million.
SkyTel, at a cost of $135,000, provided 500 state-of-the-art pagers and is installing a wireless cell link in Charlottesville, where on Sunday morning Clinton begins his inaugural bus trip to Washington.
Chrysler, General Motors and Ford together have provided more than 500 vehicles, including some that use alternative fuels. Ford is spending $1 million for four commercial spots during the gala, said spokesman Bill Day.
Korbel is giving 800 cases of commemorative champagne that the company said would have sold at $50,000 wholesale.
The companies say their motives involve both good citizenship and a chance to promote their names and products.
But critics say these companies invariably will have a lot to lose or gain by the new administration's decisions.
Mintz noted the inaugural committee will disband next week and has no future role in government policy.
But Jay Baskette, Motorola liaison with the inaugural committee, said it "would be naive to think that we would not like to promote our company to the government . . . We support the government because we depend on the government to help us further our manufacturing and trade both here and abroad."