In 2023, the White House Counsel's office warned President Joe Biden about bringing donors into the White House, a practice that presidents in past years have also followed but which may fall afoul of campaign finance laws.
President Biden was advised last year by the White House Counsel office that giving big-dollar donors tours of the Oval Office might raise legal issues and he has since stopped the practice, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: Biden has been hosting donors inside the White House residence for private meals and briefings, to help energize them and convince them that he has a plan to beat former President Trump.
- The donor outreach has caused some concern in the White House Counsel's office, which has allowed the lunches and dinners to proceed with clear restrictions, including on where the meals can take place and who can attend.
- Biden has been known to show the Oval Office to many of his guests, but he decided to stop including an Oval tour for donors early in the campaign after issues were raised by the counsel's office. The exclusive briefings and meals are expected to continue.
- In order to comply with ethics laws, the donors are not directly solicited for donations and events are required to take place in either the White House map room, the old family dining room or the tennis pavilion on the ground's south lawn.
- The Washington Post reported earlier Wednesday on the meals.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates defended the practice.
"It is typical for any president, regardless of party, to host supporters at the White House complex, which is both a working office as well as a personal residence," White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told Axios.
- "President Biden and his team take all rules concerning the White House and re-elections seriously, and we're proud of that," he said.
This was echoed by someone at the Campaign Legal Center:
"There are certain rooms in the White House, particularly in the residence that are not covered under the Hatch Act," said Kedric Payne, ethics director at the Campaign Legal Center, referring to the federal law which governing campaigning for elected officials.
"The president is allowed to legally meet with and entertain donors at the White House," Payne said. "But you cannot give campaign contributions or solicit for campaign contributions while in the White House."
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Former presidents have also been warned against this practice, including President Bill Clinton (who notoriously traded donations and favors for nights in the Lincoln Bedroom), President George W. Bush, and President Barack Obama. President Donald Trump has not released records of White House visitors, but there have been allegations of Hatch Act violations.
The warning to President Biden, however, comes hot on the heels of several other legal problems for the President, including his son's pleading "not guilty" on Thursday in a California tax evasion case.
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It is unclear which donors were afforded White House access, who those donors may have been representing, or if any of them represented foreign interests. When we learn more, we'll bring you an update.