President-elect Joe Biden takes off his protective mask to deliver a televised speech to the nation, after the U.S. Electoral College formally confirmed its victory over President Donald Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, from Biden’s transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. , December 14, 2020.
Mike Segar | Reuters
President-elect Joe Biden’s inaugural committee sent its fundraising packages to donors, offering a way to access what will likely be a largely virtual event.
The inaugural committee offers four different packages to donors depending on how much they contribute, according to a list of fundraising options offered on CNBC.
If an organization donates $ 1 million, she will be named president of the inauguration. A person will get the same rank with a $ 500,000 donation. Biden’s inaugural committee allows companies to contribute, with the exception of fossil fuel companies.
This donation would result in an invitation to a virtual event with Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, a “favorite viewing for the virtual opening,” a “VIP participation in a virtual concert during the opening week,” VIP tickets for a future in person virtual events and briefings with inaugural co-chairs and other senior leaders, according to fundraising packages.
There will also be select sponsorship opportunities for these donors.
Organizations that donate $ 500,000 or individuals that donate $ 250,000 will be appointed as vice presidents. These donors will receive an “invitation to a virtual event with the elected vice president [Kamala Harris] & Second Gentleman-elect, “a” VIP participation in a virtual concert during the opening week and invitation to the virtual opening, “and two tickets for a future face-to-face event.
Bank of America recently told CNBC that it wants to support the inauguration of Biden, after being big donors to President Donald Trump’s committee in 2017.
“We have supported the inaugural events of many administrations in a non-partisan way because we see it as part of our civic engagement for a major national event,” the bank’s spokesman Bill Halldin told CNBC on Monday. “The private sector has traditionally done so and we look forward to supporting the ceremonies in January as appropriate, given the health crisis and other factors that may affect it.”
The bank donated $ 1 million to Trump’s inauguration, according to data collected by the Center for Responsible, Nonpartisan Policies. Halldin did not say how much the company can give to Biden’s inaugural committee.
Coca-Cola, which donated just over $ 335,000 to Trump’s inauguration, had made no decision as of Monday on whether they would contribute to the event.
“As you know, this is a very different year, so we haven’t made any decisions yet about a financial contribution to the inauguration,” Coca-Cola spokeswoman Ann Moore told CNBC yesterday.
Trump’s inauguration four years ago raised a record amount of more than $ 100 million. That total was almost double the amount contributed by President Barack Obama’s first inaugural committee.
The launch of Biden’s fundraising proposals comes as the inauguration will be for the most part a virtual celebration in January due to the coronavirus pandemic. The democratic national convention in August was also virtual.
“I’m pushing for something similar to what we did for our convention,” Rep. James Clyburn, DS.C., the committee’s chief chairman, told CNBC in an interview earlier this month.
The Biden inaugural committee on Tuesday urged Americans to stay home and watch the inaugural ceremonies on television this year due to the spread of the coronavirus.
Biden and Harris will be sworn in at Capitol Hill next month, but the press release noted that “the footprint of the ceremony will be extremely limited and the next parade will be reinvented.”
“Our goal is to create an inauguration that keeps people safe, honors the great traditions of the presidency and shows the renewed American vision of the Biden-Harris Administration for an inclusive, equitable and unified citizenship,” the councilor said on Tuesday. committee delegate Tony Allen.
The committee also announced that former Obama campaign assistant Stephanie Cutter and Emmy-winning television producer Ricky Kirshner have joined the inaugural committee staff as executive producers. He also joins the team as senior advisor Rod O’Connor, who led the effort to create and produce the virtual democratic national convention last summer.