Reuters: Politics: Independent Obama group raises $4.8 million in first quarter

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Independent Obama group raises $4.8 million in first quarter Apr 12th 2013, 14:22 Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Background checks deal boosts odds for gun-control bill Wed, Apr 10 2013 Obama budget aims to kickstart deficit-reduction talks Wed, Apr 10 2013 Obama makes "last-ditch" push in Connecticut on gun control Mon, Apr 8 2013 Obama tries to woo Republicans with cuts in budget Fri, Apr 5 2013 Obama makes impassioned plea for gun control legislation Thu, Mar 28 2013 Analysis & Opinion The sorrow and the pity of Obama's budget Obama's budget bid for a 'grand bargain' U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Organizing for Action dinner in Washington March 13, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Yuri Gripas By Gabriel Debenedetti WASHINGTON | Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:22am EDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The advocacy group dedicated to promoting President Barack Obama's agenda said more than 100,000 donors pitched in to give it just under $5 million in the first quarter of 2013, as it publicized its fundraising numbers for the first time. Organizing For Action, which operates independently from the White House, said Friday it would release its first-quarter numbers and the names of major donors later in the day. An email from executive director Jon Carson to supporters said the group received contributions from 109,582 donors, averaging $44 per donation. This adds up to more than $4.8 million. OFA came under fire in February after the New York Times reported that donors who gave $500,000 or more could attend quarterly meetings with Obama. This report sparked accusations that the group was selling access to president, a charge rejected by White House press secretary Jay Carney. The group has focused mainly on immigration reform and tightening gun controls, two of Obama's priorities that Congress is grappling with. The group was spun off of Obama's re-election campaign and launched in January as the president began his second term. It is the first independent effort of its type to support a sitting president. OFA's chairman is Jim Messina, who managed Obama's re-election campaign. Carson is a former White House staffer who most recently directed the Office of Public Engagement. (Reporting by Gabriel Debenedetti; Editing by Fred Barbash and Vicki Allen) Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above.

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