White House denies claims that a $500,000 donation 'buys' face time with the president

• It was reported over the weekend that donors who gave more than $500K to Organizing for America would be invited to quarterly meeting with the president
• Press Secretary Jay Carney did not dispute claims and said there was nothing unusual about Obama meeting with donors

By Beth Stebner

Published: 19:51 EST, 25 February 2013 | Updated: 20:07 EST, 25 February 2013

The White House defended itself today after suggestions that high-dollar donors to President Obama’s new non-profit advocacy group would ‘buy’ face time with the Commander-In-Chief.

Organizing for Action, which is set up to be a social welfare organization, will allow large donations not unlike Super-PAC contributions, to be given to aid Mr Obama in carrying out second-term goals such as climate change and gun control.

There have been reports that those who contributed more than $500,000 to his cause would be invited to quarterly meetings with the president in a pay-to-play.

Pay to play? Mr Obama, pictured today speaking to the National Governors Association; the White House today defended itself after suggestions that high-dollar donors to his non-profit advocacy group would buy face time

First duties: Mr and Mrs Obama both addressed the National Governors Association from the White House

However, White House press secretary Jay Carney did not specifically dispute the claims, saying only that there was nothing new and unusual about Mr Obama meeting with people and groups who support his political agenda. 

He said today: ‘It has been organized to rally support for the president’s policy agenda, but is a separate organization.

Administrative officials routinely interact with outside advocacy organizations, and this has been true in prior administrations.’

An article appearing in the New York Times originally reported the benchmark funding over the weekend.

Mr Carney told reporters today that administration officials may attend events for OFA, but won’t be raising money.

No harm no foul: White House press secretary Jay Carney today said there was nothing new and unusual about Mr Obama meeting with people and groups who support his political agenda

Transition: Obama for America was transformed into Organizing for America following the re-election of the president

The group, which is a spinoff of the president’s re-election group ‘Obama for America,’ has said its purpose is to rally support for Mr Obama's policy agenda - not to support or oppose candidates. 

It's accepting unlimited personal and corporate donations, but plans to disclose its donors.

According to the Times, the non-profit will accept unlimited donations from both personal and corporate coffers. 

Those who donate more than half a million to the OFA will be invited to the nonprofit’s ‘national advisory board,’ giving the donors access to quarterly meetings with the president as well as other White House events.

Jon Carson, the executive director of the OFA and former director of the White House office of public engagement, told the Times on Saturday that the group’s goal is to ‘change the conventional wisdom’ on hot-button issues like gun control and climate change. 

The organization’s modus operandi is not unlike those of Super PAC, which until early 2012, the president called a ‘threat to democracy.’

The OFA site reads that it exists to help President Obama in the ‘achieving enactment of the national agenda.’ As such, it operates as a 501(c)(4) of the IRS.

Special invitation: Donors who contribute more than half a million dollars will be invited to quarterly meetings as well as other White House functions