‘87 Video Shows Reagan Hosting Republican Donors in White House
In a video stored at his presidential archives, Ronald Reagan is shown in 1987 hosting $10,000-plus Republican donors inside the White House and asking, “Can I count on you to help?”
The video is the latest piece of evidence to be unearthed at Reagan’s library in California suggesting that long before President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore made fund-raising calls from the mansion, Republicans may also have used the building to generate money.
The Associated Press reported last month that documents it obtained from the Reagan library showed Reagan made telephone calls to fund-raising events from the White House and Camp David and promised donors on one occasion they’d be visiting the White House “quite often.”
On Wednesday, the video footage of a Republican Eagles event Sept. 30, 1987, in the East Room of the White House emerged. AP obtained a copy of a written transcript of the tape from Democratic sources. Eagles are $10,000 donors to the GOP.
“I’ll campaign hard for the nominee of our party. And let me ask you now, I know this is silly, but can I count on you to help?” said Reagan, later adding, “I know we’ve got a lot of people here today who’ll help lead the charge.”
Jan Baran, a GOP campaign finance attorney, acknowledged in an interview that Reagan’s appeal may have violated the law.
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