President Barack Obama chided the Republican Party for catering to the 'interests of billionaires' in an email to supporters on Tuesday, then attended a series of high-dollar fundraisers, including one at real estate mogul Rich Richman's house.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser at Richman's house in Greenwich, Connecticut, cost as much as $32,400 a person, according to the White House.
The other two events, held in New York and sponsored by the Democratic National Committee, cost between $1,000 and $32,400 to attend.
President Barack Obama returns to the White House on Tuesday night after an afternoon of fundraisers, including one held at the home of a supporter named Rich Richman that cost $34,000 a person to attend
As Obama was yucking it up with wealthy Democratic donors, he sent out a fundraising email slamming the GOP for being in the pocket of billionaires, the Washington Times reports.
'If the Republicans win, we know who they’ll be fighting for,' Obama allegedly wrote. 'Once again, the interests of billionaires will come before the needs of the middle class.'
The president opined in the email that 'Republican groups are spending massive sums against us.'
At the fundraisers Obama did not discuss Republican representatives' loyalties, but he did plead with donors to elect Democrats in November if they want to see changes to the immigration system, paid family leave, repairs to the country's infrastructure and an increase in the federal minimum wage.
'We have achieved so much but we still have so much to do,' Obama told attendees of the DNC event in New York. 'So far, we can't get Republicans to cooperate.'
The president told his audience that despite Republican obstructionism in Congress, his administration has had a number of successes, as well.
'The reason you don't hear about them is they elicit hope,' he said. 'They're good news.'
The cynical media doesn't like to promote good news, he argued.
'Cynicism is a choice. Hope is a better choice,' he told attendees. 'I've never been more hopeful.'
The fundraisers on Tuesday brought the total number of money-raising events Obama has attended this year up to 56.
While candidates have hesitated to be seen with the president, the Democratic Party has not been shy about trotting him out at private events hosted by the rich and famous.
In addition to the event at Richman's house, Obama attended a roundtable with Democratic supporters on Tuesday that was closed to press and a fundraiser at the home of Bill White and Bryan Eure.
White is the former head of the Intrepid Air and Space Museum in New York. White resigned in 2010 after coming under investigation by then-state attorney general, now governor, Andrew Cuomo, for his participation in a state pension fund scheme.
The attorney general's office never brought charges against White, but the longtime Democratic donor was forced to pay $1 million in restitution to the government.
That event at his home on Tuesday also cost $32,400 to attend.
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