Outsourced: Obama Campaign Raises Money in China–Again

The Obama campaign may be attacking Republican rival Mitt Romney for investing abroad, but it is not shy about raising campaign cash overseas. Last week, the campaign held a fundraiser for American expatriates in Shanghai, raking in large sums from those benefiting from the sort of personal and professional investment overseas that President Barack Obama has cast as unpatriotic in a recent attack ad against Romney.

It is not the first time the Obama campaign has raised money overseas. In 2008, the campaign held similar events in Shanghai (photo above). Earlier this month, it raised money on July 4th in Paris, and though the new Obama attack ad uses a Swiss flag to denounce Romney’s foreign investments, the Obama campaign is bringing Hollywood superstar George Clooney to Switzerland next month for a huge fundraising event.

The overseas contributions are legal, as long as they are made by American citizens. But the Obama campaign had to return a number of overseas contributions from non-citizens in the 2008 cycle, and it has been accused once again of being too lax in preventing such contributions in 2012. Regardless, the hypocrisy of attacking Romney for investment abroad, then raising money from those working and investing abroad, is glaring.

Photo credit: Woodie Alan