Westport Will Not Be Reimbursed For Costs Related to Obama Visit
WESTPORT, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - The town of Westport will not be reimbursed for $14,812 worth of costs related to President Barack Obama's fundraising visit earlier this month, according to Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff.
WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reports
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Joseloff said he knows from experience not to expect reimbursement for security costs during a private presidential visit, but pointed out the president raised $2 million for his re-election campaign when he visited a couple weeks ago.
"I think if somebody really wanted to do a good deed for the President, they could make a donation to cover the cost, get a tax deduction," Joseloff told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau. "We'll be happy and hopefully they'll be happy," Joseloff said.
Joseloff said the President might have softened any hard feelings about the cost of security in town if he had staged a quick public event like visiting the 9/11 memorial just yards from where his helicopter landed, but he chose not to do that.
The town asked the Democratic National Committee and Obama for America to pay the overtime costs incurred when the President held a fundraiser in Stamford and a $35,800 per person dinner at the home of movie producer Harvey Weinstein.
According to the New Haven Register, an executive of the DNC wrote that as a private organization, it did not participate in security, traffic control, fire or emergency planning. The executive referred questions to the Secret Service.
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