• January 7, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural committee has raised more than $27 million, donor information on its Web site Tuesday showed. Most of it has come in over the past three weeks.

More than 2,000 donors are helping to finance Obama's Jan. 20 swearing-in festivities. At least 378 gave the maximum $50,000. Top donors include Google chief executive Eric Schmidt and five others at the Internet company, who gave $25,000 each. The inaugural committee received a total of $150,500 from six Microsoft employees, including the maximum $50,000 from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

The $50,000 donors get access to inaugural events including candlelight dinners with appearances by members of Congress and the Obamas and tickets to an official ball, the swearing-in ceremony and parade seating.

Unlike previous inaugural committees, the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee does not accept contributions from corporations, political action committees, labor unions, current federally-registered lobbyists, non-U.S. citizens and registered foreign agents and does not accept individual contributions in excess of $50,000.--Tanya Irwin