As Ralph Basham, the Secret Service chief told the Associated Press, "We don’t want to leave anything to chance." "We want to make sure that everyone who comes to participate in these events can do so in a safe, secure fashion. Though there have been heightened security measures in the Capitol and other Washington locations since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Basham said that "this is unprecedented when it comes to the level of security that will be in effect for the inauguration and those events that are surrounding it." And, in keeping with the theme of the campaign and conventions, the 55th Presidential Inauguration is shaping up to be the costliest one yet. Of course, topping the list of donors are companies from the energy, oil, and defense industry. The nation's top three defense contractors -- Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman -- each chipped in $100,000 for the event, while defense contractor Untied Technologies ponied up $250,000! For a full list of donors go to www.inaugural05.com

Two Great Articles below, one from Knight-Ridder, the second from the Center for Responsive Politics

Big Companies' Inauguration Donations Raise Eyebrows
by Matt Stearns, Published on Monday, January 17, 2005 by Knight-Ridder
WASHINGTON - Large corporations, many of which have enormous regulatory and policy interests in Washington, are paying for most of President Bush's inauguration.

Critics call the arrangement too cozy, while others say the lavish spending is inappropriate in a time of war and as South Asia recovers from a devastating tsunami.

Bush told reporters Thursday he sees no problem with either how the money is raised or how it is spent. "There's no taxpayer money involved in this," he said.

The inaugural celebration is expected to cost up to $40 million, with the money all raised from private donations. That would tie the record set by Bush's 2001 inaugural. Bill Clinton's 1993 inaugural cost $33 million, the previous record.

That amount doesn't include the swearing-in itself, or security for inaugural events, two costs the government does cover. Officials say those will be in the millions of dollars, although they don't know how much yet.

But for the associated celebrating, it's become common for private donations to pay for the ever escalating partying that is the biggest part of any inauguration.

Of the more than $25 million raised so far by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, more than two-thirds came from corporate coffers.

As of Jan. 14, 42 corporate contributors chipped in $250,000 each, the self-imposed maximum donation accepted by the committee. Unlike campaign contributions, there's no legal limit to how much a donor can give.

Financial services companies and their executives have donated more than any other industry, with 26 financial services firms donating more than $4 million. The industry could reap a windfall if Congress approves Bush's plan for private investment accounts as part of Social Security. It also has an interest in Bush's goal of extending the tax cuts of his first term.

Energy companies and their executives contributed more than $2.7 million. They've worked closely with the Bush Administration for years to pass an industry-friendly energy bill that remains stalled in Congress.

Bush told reporters Thursday that the energy bill is a major goal of his second term. "I feel good we'll be able to get one out" of Congress this year, he said.

The companies call the donations good corporate citizenship, saying they are merely participating in an important rite of democracy and enabling average Americans to enjoy events such as the inaugural parade and the inauguration eve fireworks.

"We view this as a patriotic event and a patriotic thing to do," said Terri McCullough, spokeswoman for Southern Co., an energy firm that gave $250,000 to the committee.

Many donor companies have contributed to inaugurations in the past, for both Democrats and Republicans.

Asked whether it was appropriate for companies with legislative and regulatory concerns to pay for his inauguration, Bush said, "It's exactly what happened last inauguration, the inauguration before, the inauguration before."

Bush said if he thought it was inappropriate, "I wouldn't be doing it."

But critics say that for-profit companies don't give money away without a reason involving self-interest.

"It's part of their government relations and influence program," said Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that monitors money in politics. "They're doing it to gain access to the White House and to members of Congress."

The access works on two levels, Noble said. First, there's the immediate access that donors get from rubbing shoulders with the powers-that-be at inaugural activities such as luncheons and balls.

Beyond that, it's an investment in establishing relationships down the road, so that they will be heard when key issues come to the fore.

Major donors receive tickets to elite events such as lunches, receptions and candlelight dinners at which many Washington movers and shakers are expected to appear, including Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Ed Lewis, a spokesman for Ford Motor Co., conceded that the big automaker had a number of interests in Congress and the Bush administration. He said Ford executives would receive access to many inaugural events because of the company's $250,000 donation. But he scoffed at the notion that helping to pay for the inauguration would help buy influence.

"We get our phone calls returned," Lewis said. "That's not a big issue for us."

Wealthy individuals are also big contributors.

Many are executives in the same key industries as donor companies. For example, Houston energy billionaire Rich Kinder and his wife contributed $250,000.

Others have long ties to the Republican Party and to Bush and his family through business or politics.

St. Louis manufacturing magnate Sam Fox has given millions to the party and its candidates over the years; at one time, he was the GOP's largest individual contributor. He and his wife Marilyn gave $100,000 to the inaugural committee.

Some critics object to massive fund raising for a lavish party while the country is fighting a war in Iraq and on the heels of the south Asian tsunami that killed more than 150,000 and left 5 million homeless.

Two Democratic congressmen wrote to Bush last week urging him to tone down the festivities.

Bush brushed off such suggestions Thursday, saying, "I'm very mindful of the tsunami victims."

"A lot of the people who are coming here to the inauguration have given" to tsunami victims, Bush said. "I think it's important to celebrate a peaceful transfer of power. And the money is all privately raised money. I'm looking forward to the celebration." © 2005 Knight Ridder, Published on Monday, January 17, 2004 by the Associated Press

The Usual Suspects, Inaugural donors and committee members include familiar faces from the Center for Responsive Politics, www.capitaleye.org
By Courtney Mabeus and Steven Weiss
December 22, 2004 | Note: The official inaugural committee Web site has updated its donor list since this article was written. The accompanying donor chart has been updated with contributors listed on the inaugural site as of Dec. 23.

As inaugural planners iron out the details of the many events surrounding President Bush’s swearing-in Jan. 20, well-connected donors are contributing six-figure checks to help pay for it all.

The 55th Presidential Inaugural Committee last week revealed that it had raised close to $4.6 million, nearly all of it in amounts of $100,000 and $250,000, from a group of donors with deep pockets and strong political connections. The inaugural committee reportedly hopes to raise up to $50 million.

Although contributions to federal candidates and parties are capped by law, inaugural donations may be given in unlimited amounts. And though corporations and labor unions cannot give money directly to federal candidates or parties, they can help to fund inaugurations.

The official inaugural Web site lists two dozen individuals and organizations that had contributed to the inaugural committee as of Dec. 16. The donors are no strangers to political giving. As a group, they represent organizations whose employees and political action committees have contributed $9.4 million to Republicans in the current election cycle, which ends Dec. 31. Of that, $1.1 million went to the Bush reelection campaign.

The biggest campaign contributor on the list is Northrop Grumman, whose employees and PAC have contributed $1.3 million to the GOP in the current cycle and nearly $65,000 to the Bush campaign. The giant shipbuilding company and defense contractor sent $100,000 to the inaugural committee.

Southern Company, one of the biggest donors in the energy sector, gave $250,000 to the inaugural committee. Its employees and PAC have contributed just over $1 million to Republicans in the current cycle, $192,000 of which went to the Bush campaign.

Altria, the parent company of tobacco giant Philip Morris, has contributed $928,000 in individual and PAC contributions to the GOP this cycle and nearly $39,000 to the Bush campaign. The company gave $250,000 to the inaugural committee.

Individuals on the inaugural donor list include Michael Dell, founder of the Dell computer company; Richard Kinder, the former president of Enron who now heads natural gas company Kinder Morgan; and oilman T. Boone Pickens. Each gave $250,000 to the committee.

Three individuals listed as donors also are serving as fundraisers on the inaugural committee: real estate developer Al Hoffman, CEO of WCI Communities; Kinder; and Dwight Schar, CEO of the homebuilding and mortgage company NVR. All three were Bush Pioneers in 2000 for having raised $100,000 or more for the campaign and Rangers in 2004 for having raised at least $200,000.

Inaugural "underwriters," who contribute $250,000, will receive tickets to a number of events over the four-day inaugural celebration, including the swearing-in ceremony, the inaugural parade and an exclusive luncheon with Bush and Vice President Cheney. They also will be given tickets to one of three "candlelight dinners" on Jan. 19 at locations throughout Washington and one of the nine official inaugural balls, reported the Associated Press.

"Sponsors," who contribute $100,000, will be admitted to many of the same events but will receive fewer tickets, according to the AP.

The Inaugural Committee

Leading the inaugural committee are several people who themselves contributed money to Bush’s first inauguration four years ago.

Of the 14 individuals and couples who sit on the committee, at least seven contributed $100,000 or more to Bush’s 2001 inauguration. At least 10 committee members were Bush Pioneers in 2000, and 11 of them achieved Ranger status in 2004.

Several committee members are large campaign contributors themselves. As a whole, members of the inaugural committee have contributed more than $1.7 million to federal candidates and parties during the 2004 election cycle. All but $42,500 has gone to Democrats, and more than $97,000 went to the Bush campaign.

Business partners Mercer Reynolds and William DeWitt, who are serving as co-chairs of the inaugural committee, are among Bush’s most loyal supporters. They and their immediate families have contributed a combined $298,000 to Republicans this cycle, including $22,000 to the Bush campaign.

Reynolds and DeWitt, who operate a Cincinnati-based investment firm, were Pioneers in 2000 and Rangers in 2004. They served as co-chairs of Bush’s first inaugural committee, which raised $40 million. Bush rewarded Reynolds by nominating him as ambassador to Switzerland, a position he relinquished in March 2003 to serve as the national finance chairman of Bush’s reelection campaign. DeWitt served on the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.

California businessman Brad Freeman is also an inaugural committee co-chair. He and his immediate family have contributed more than $138,000 to Republicans in the current cycle, $6,000 to Bush. Like Reynolds and DeWitt, Freeman was an inaugural co-chair four years ago, a Pioneer in 2000 and a Ranger in 2004. Freeman was appointed to the President’s Council on White House Fellowships, and his brother, Russell, a 2000 Bush Pioneer, was appointed by Bush in 2001 to serve as ambassador to Belize.

Joe Canizaro, a finance co-chair for the inaugural committee, and his immediate family have given more money to Republicans ($285,000), and to the Bush campaign ($18,000), during the current cycle than anyone else on the inaugural committee. Canizaro, CEO of Louisiana-based Columbus Properties, was one of 22 business leaders whom Bush invited to lunch in 2001 to discuss tax cuts, according to Texans for Public Justice. He was also a 2000 Bush Pioneer and a Ranger for 2004.