Despite a pledge to keep his inaugural from appearing too corporate, Gov.-elect Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is actively seeking donations from companies of up to $20,000 to pay for three days of celebration but has yet to establish prices for supporters of more modest means.
The Ehrlich-Steele Inaugural Committee has sent solicitations to hundreds of Maryland companies, asking them to sponsor parties, concerts, a reception at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and a ball at the Baltimore Convention Center. Ehrlich will be sworn-in Jan. 15.
The response, said inaugural committee chairman Carl Wright, has been enthusiastic.
"I think there is a little pent-up demand for an inaugural party," he said.
A memorandum distributed by Wright last week outlines four sponsorship levels for the inauguration of Maryland's first Republican governor in 36 years, starting at $1,000.
Those who pay $20,000 will be known as Star-Spangled Banner sponsors. They'll get a total of 20 tickets to various events, including four tickets to a concert Jan. 14 at the University of Maryland Performing Arts Center featuring the Spinners, and six tickets to the inaugural ball Jan. 15.
According to the memo, sponsors also get "an opportunity to put approved promotional/marketing material in gift bags and/or on gift tables" to be distributed to attendees.
"There are several companies coming in at the Star-Spangled Banner level," Wright said, declining to name them. "I would hope we would have a couple dozen when all is said and done."
Ten thousand-dollar donors are being called Maryland Black-Eyed Susan sponsors. Baltimore Oriole sponsors give $5,000, and Skipjack sponsors kick in $1,000.
While those levels have been set, the committee has not announced a way for rank-and-file Ehrlich supporters to obtain tickets to the ball, a party Jan. 13 at a club or other events.
Last week, Ehrlich spokesman Paul S. Schurick said he was sensitive to the appearance of corporate donors dominating the activities.
"One thing that we are committed to avoid is for corporations to have the appearance that they have any undue influence," Schurick said at the time.
But it's clear that large donors will play a major role, a concern of James Browning, head of Common Cause/Maryland, a government watchdog group.
"The only reason to give that much money is to have access to the office and to have your phone calls returned," Browning said.
State campaign finance laws limit corporations and individuals to a maximum $4,000 donation to a candidate during a four-year cycle. But the inauguration committee is set up as a not-for-profit corporation, so the limit does not apply, and companies can, theoretically, give as much as they want.
Shareese N. DeLeaver, a spokesman for Ehrlich, said sponsorship donations will help defray the cost of individual events for other participants. Big donors won't be treated differently, she said.