One year into President Barack Obama’s second term, it seems his closest advisers are already courting donors for the brick-and-mortar institution that will cement his post-presidential legacy.
The New York Times reported Monday that the Obama administration began concentrating on the President’s foundation and library before his reelection, tasking staffer Alyssa Mastromonaco with planning a project that financial supporters estimated could cost more than $500 million.
Chicago investor Marty Nesbitt and Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett are among those interested in the project who have spoken with potential contributors, according to the Times. Obama advisers are expected to announce the search for the library’s official site early next year, and so far Chicago, New York and Hawaii have expressed interest in hosting the project.
But a White House spokesman told the Times that the President’s team is focused on policy, not on a future foundation.
“This is a project that isn’t even at its inception yet,” spokesman Eric Schultz wrote in an email. “The priority of everyone at the White House is to focus on achieving the president’s second-term priorities over the next three years.”
