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Let’s see if you can guess what the following events have in common: a super-secret conference hosted by the billionaire Koch brothers; a concert with $10,000 tickets featuring Mariah Carey; and an uber-luxe weekend golf retreat in Deer Valley, Utah.
If you guessed political campaign fundraising, you guessed right. Each of those events was orchestrated for one purpose — to help either Romney or Obama win the 2012 election. (Romney is currently pulling in more dollars — specifically, $35 million more than Obama in the month of June.)
But the events had something else in common, too — they all took place at some of the country’s top luxury hotels. And we wouldn’t be the hotel tell-all if we didn’t spill the details on just what went down and where.
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Carlsbad, CA — R.
The Event: “Path to Freedom 2012,” a fundraising summit hosted by the Koch brothers, June 24
The Power Players: The Koch brothers, conservative oil tycoons each worth $25 billion
The Spoils: Unknown, but it’s been reported that their annual fundraising goal is $400 million.
Security at the Park Hyatt Aviara was extremely tight for the Koch brothers’ biannual fundraiser, and few details about the guest list or speeches have been leaked. (A BuzzFeed reporter did manage to sneak in, before getting the boot for not wearing a name tag.) But we’re sure the wealthy conservatives who gathered to conspire raise money enjoyed the property’s gorgeous pool with lagoon views, an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, and serene gardens. See exclusive photos of the hotel
The Plaza, New York City — D.
The Event: Fundraising dinner and concert featuring Mariah Carey, June 14
The Power Players: President Obama, who gave a speech to the guests
The Spoils: $2.5 million (250 tickets for $10,000 each)
The Plaza is one of Manhattan’s most iconic luxury hotels, and a fitting venue for a classy, seated fundraiser dinner. Obama gave a speech, as did Alicia Keys and Newark, N.J. Mayor Corey Booker, and Mariah Carey performed. Earlier that evening, Obama attended a star-studded $40,000-a-plate dinner at actress Sarah Jessica Parker’s home.
Chateaux at Silver Lake and Stein Erikson Lodge, Deer Valley, UT — R.
The Event: National Romney Victory Leadership Retreat, June 24
The Power Players: Mitt Romney, Karl Rove, Condoleeza Rice, John McCain, Jeb Bush
The Spoils: The 700-plus attendees had to donate at least $25,000 or raise $100,000 for the Romney campaign to score an invite
The three-day conservative retreat for top Romney donors spurred quite a lot of controversy. It’s illegal for a candidate to coordinate efforts with independent Super PACs (there’s no limit to how much one can give to a Super PAC, though official campaign donations are capped) — and yet both Mitt Romney and Super PAC leaders were in attendance at the retreat. Karl Rove, who founded Super PAC American Crossroads, was a speaker at the event. The weekend centered around the luxurious Stein Erikson Lodge and the Chateaux at Silver Lake, and ended on Sunday with a round of golf. See exclusive photos of Stein Erikson Lodge
See the rest of the story at Business Insider