Obama campaign officials have told Washington D.C. Democrats not to expect President Obama or Michelle Obama to attend any D.C. fundraisers due to ongoing investigations, CBS Washington reports:
DEREK MCGINTY: 9News Now learned that D.C. Democrats have been told that if they are planning on fundraisers for the Obama campaign, don't expect the president or first lady to show up to add any glitz or glamor to the event. Bruce Johnson is right here and learned the Obama campaign is apparently trying to keep its distance from D.C. elected officials and we shouldn't be surprised.
BRUCE JOHNSON: We both have been around a long time. I don't think I have seen this happen.
MCGINTY: Okay.
JOHNSON: Even local Democratic figures who were talking on background are saying they understand. The president is in a tough battle with Republican Mitt Romney and can't afford to be seen cosying up to D.C. elected figures who are under federal investigation. The Obama Justice Department is investigating a $650,000 shadow campaign that helped get Vincent Grey elected mayor. Three Grey campaign staffers have already admitted guilt and await sentencing. The U.S. attorney is continuing his probe with more charges expected. Mayor Grey has told associates in private he didn't know about the illegal campaign activity, but, local sources tell 9News Now the Obama national campaign in Chicago has put D.C. Democrats on notice. The campaign won't be making the president, first lady, or any of their surrogates available for fundraisers here in D.C. The cover story out of Chicago is all resources are needed to do battle in those swing states, but local Democrats who sought more clarification, say they've told it's because of the federal investigation into D.C. corruption. Said one prominent Democrat, "they're trying to avoid a photo op that might be used against the president." We have a call in to Obama campaign officials in Chicago. The campaign has already returned some $10,000 raised by DC businessman Jeffrey Thompson. He is one of the key figures in this federal probe.
MCGINTY: The mayor, we know, is going to be leading the D.C. delegation to the Democratic Convention. How does this affect that?
JOHNSON: He's going, it will be interesting to see how he is treated once he gets there. We should also point out that Judy Smith, the megastar of conflict resolution manager, there have been reports out there that she has been meeting with members of the Grey Administration. We can confirm there was a meeting between her and the mayor's of Chief of Staff, but nothing has come of that. We don't know what was said. She's not working for the Grey Administration, she is not working for what's left of the Grey campaign, but that does not mean there might not be something to talk about later on.