The Associated Press: Obama taps more big donors for ambassadorships

The Associated Press: Obama taps more big donors for ambassadorships

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday announced eight new ambassadorial appointments, naming three big campaign donors and fundraisers to plum posts in Canada, the Bahamas and South Africa and tapping career diplomats for jobs in Guinea, Haiti and Lithuania.



Obama also looked outside the foreign service for nominees to run the U.S. embassies in Mexico and Saudi Arabia, both of whom were modest donors to his campaign but have past military and diplomatic careers.

The president chose California music executive Nicole Avant to be the next American ambassador to the Bahamas. Avant and her family have been prolific donors to the Democratic Party and gave money to both Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics.

Avant, an occasional actress and the vice president of Interior Music and Avant Garde Music Publishing, raised at least $500,000 for Obama and donated the maximum $4,600 to his campaign and $500 to Clinton's.

Avant's father, Clarence, a former chairman of Motown Records, contributed $4,600 to both the Obama and Clinton campaigns and donated another $25,000 to Obama's inauguration fund. Avant's brother, Alexander, was also a contributor, giving $4,600 to the Obama campaign and $1,250 to Clinton's.

For South Africa, Obama chose Donald Gips, a Colorado communications executive, aide to former Vice President Al Gore and Federal Communications Commission official. Gips raised at least $500,000 for Obama, and donated more than $4,000 to his campaign and $2,300 to Clinton's, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Obama chose David Jacobson, an Illinois lawyer, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Canada. Jacobson raised between $50,000 and $100,000 for Obama and donated $2,507 to his campaign and $500 each to Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden's ill-fated presidential primary runs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Obama named a former career diplomat Carlos Pascual to be ambassador to Mexico. Pascual, currently at the Brookings Institution, served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2000 until 2003 and has diplomatic experience in reconstruction and stabilization in Europe and elsewhere. He donated $1,000 to Obama's campaign.

For Saudi Arabia, Obama selected retired Air Force Gen. James Smith of New Hampshire who is now an executive with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. Smith, who flew combat missions during the Gulf War and served as deputy commander at the Joint Warfighting Center of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, contributed $3,300 to Obama's campaign.

In addition to those political appointments, Obama tapped career diplomats Patricia Moller, Kenneth Merten and Anne Derse to be ambassadors to Guinea, Haiti and Lithuania.


Obama's recent ambassador picks:

* Louis B. Susman: This lawyer and investment banker has reportedly earned the nicknames the "vacuum cleaner" and "big bundler" for his prowess as a bundler of campaign cash. He bundled at least $100,000 for Obama's presidential campaign and at least $300,000 for his inauguration, according to Public Citizen. This includes $50,000 from his personal funds. Further, he and his wife have contributed at least $581,400 to federal candidates, committees and parties, with 99 percent of that sum going to Democrats, including at least $12,800 to Obama. He has been nominated to be the ambassador to the United Kingdom.


* Daniel M. Rooney: Owner and chairman of the Pittsburgh Steeler's football team, he and his wife have contributed at least $152,400 to federal candidates, committees and parties since the 1990 election cycle, including $500 to Obama. Ninety percent of their funds have gone to Democrats. Rooney also endorsed Obama in the run-up to Pennsylvania's heated presidential primary in April of 2008. He is a co-founder of the Ireland-related fundraising organization, The Ireland Funds, as well, and he has been nominated to be the ambassador to Ireland.


* Charles H. Rivkin: The head of the entertainment company W!LDBRAIN, he served as a delegate to the Democratic National Committee in support of Obama last summer. Moreover, he sent at least half-a-million towards Obama's campaign committee as a bundler and another $300,000 toward his inaugural committee. Since the 1994 election cycle, he has personally contributed more than $97,500 to Democrats, including $6,600 to Obama, and now he has been nominated to be the ambassador to France.


* John V. Roos: This lawyer has bundled at least $500,000 to Obama's presidential campaign. He and his wife have also contributed at least $77,500 to Democrats since the 1992 election cycle, including $6,900 to Obama. Roos is the CEO of the technology-oriented law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and has been nominated to be ambassador to Japan.


* Laurie S. Fulton: The long-time lawyer who also served on the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace from 2004 to 2008 bundled at least $100,000 for Obama's presidential campaign. Moreover, she has personally contributed at least $48,900 to Democrats since the 1992 election cycle, including $4,850 to Obama. She has been nominated to be the ambassador to Denmark.


* Vilma S. Martinez: The former head of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and a litigator with Munger, Tolles & Olson, she has contributed more than $9,800 to Democratic candidates and groups since 1989, including at least $1,900 to Obama. She has been nominated to be ambassador to Argentina.


* Miguel H. Díaz: A professor of theology at St. John's University and the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota, Diaz contributed $1,000 to Obama's campaign last fall, his only federal political contribution to meet disclosure requirements since 1989. He also served as a Catholic adviser to Obama's presidential campaign. He has been nominated to be the ambassador to the Vatican.


* Michael A. Battle, Sr.: The president of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Ga., Battle has no known history of giving federal campaign cash. He has also been an administrator at several higher education institutions, including Chicago State University, Virginia State University and Hampton University, and he has been nominated to be the U.S. representative to the African Union, which has the rank of ambassador.


* Robert S. Connan: Working for the U.S. Commercial Service within the Department of Commerce since 1980, Connan has not made any contributions exceeding $200 to federal candidates, committees or parties. His most recent position has been with the European Union, and he has been nominated to be the ambassador to Iceland.


* Patricia A. Butenis: A career officer with the U.S. Foreign Service, which she joined in 1980, Butenis has served most recently in the U.S. embassy in Iraq. She has been nominated to be the ambassador to both Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Butenis has not given contributions greater than $200 since 1989.


* Christopher William Dell: A career officer with the U.S. Foreign Service, which he joined in 1983, he served most recently in the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan. He has been nominated to be the ambassador to Kosovo, and he does not have any known federal campaign contributions.


* Thomas A. Shannon: A career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, which he joined in 1984, he is the current Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Ambassador. He has not given any federal campaign contributions greater than $200, and he has been nominated to be the ambassador to Brazil.


* Timothy J. Roemer: The former six-term Democratic congressman from Indiana was a member of the 9/11 Commission and provided Obama with a hearty endorsement during the contentious primary race with Hillary Clinton. He currently heads the Center for National Policy, a DC-based public policy organization, and has been nominated to be the ambassador to India. He has not made any personal campaign contributions to federal candidates, but he does appear in our Revolving Door database.