2 Utahns among 43 who reaped diplomatic rewards
And the Center for Responsive Politics says two of those powerful big donors are Utahns — John Price and Tom Korologos.
Price, ambassador to the African island nations of Mauritius, Seychelles and the Comoros Republic, gave the second most money — $120,000 — to Bush out of that list of generous ambassadors or nominees. He also gave the fifth most — $585,181 — to Republicans overall among that group.
Korologos, a former Utahn who is ambassador to Belgium, gave the 41st most — $1,000 — to Bush among the ambassadors and nominees but gave the 21st most to Republicans overall — $107,800.
The center released a report Monday about its research into how much money ambassadors, their immediate families and their businesses donated politically between 1999 and 2004. It listed 43 heavy donors who it says were rewarded with ambassadorships.
It said presidents in recent decades have reserved about a third of all ambassadorships for political donors. They often are assigned to some of the most desirable countries, while career foreign service officers are sent as ambassadors to poorer developing countries.
That included giving $367,181 to GOP candidates and groups, including $2,000 to the Bush campaign. When Bush set up a recount fund to address controversy in Florida's election, Price gave another $5,000 — the limit set by Bush.
Price then gave $5,000, also the limit, to the Bush/Cheney Transition Foundation. Then he gave the maximum-allowed $100,000 to the Bush/Cheney Inaugural Committee.
Price and members of his family gave $120,000 overall to Bush. That is the most among current ambassadors. However, Al Hoffman, chairman of a luxury condo firm in Florida who last month was nominated to become ambassador to Portugal, gave more along with members of his family: $210,999.
Counting donations from immediate family members, the center said Price gave $585,181 to Republicans during the period. Beyond that amount, Price had told the Morning News in 2000 that he had raised $1.3 million for Bush from other donors.
The report said, "Price's thank-you gift is the ambassadorship to Mauritius, a tropical, 720-square-mile island in the Indian Ocean."
Price, who almost every year is one of the largest political donors in Utah, has never been shy about saying his donations bring influence.
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