Barack Obama is coming under fire for handing dozens of coveted ambassadorships to donors who raised millions for his presidential campaign.
The diplomatic postings range from tiny island nations in the Caribbean to major political partners, such as France and Britain, and have raised the hackles of many American diplomats.
The practice of appointing campaign donors instead of state department professionals has a long tradition in the US. However, many had hoped that Obama would reduce such displays of patronage.
That has not happened. Since taking office, Obama has made almost 80 ambassadorial nominations, of which 56% went to political appointees.
"It is time to end the spoils system and to stop renting out these ambassadorships for fabulous sums of money," said Susan Johnson, president of the American Foreign Service Association, which monitors the nominations. Johnson said Obama was on track to equal the number of such appointments made by President Bush. "It is business as usual," she said.
Some Obama backers have been posted to glamorous European countries. Britain's new US ambassador is Louis Susman, who raised more than $500,000 for Obama. The new ambassador to France is Charles Rivkin, a former TV executive who helped raise $800,000, while Germany is getting Philip Murphy, an ex-finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee who has donated $1.9m to the party since 1989.
Other political appointees have been aimed at less important countries, but ones where a few years in the sun might seem like an attractive proposition: Nicole Avant, who raised at least $800,000 for Obama, is the new ambassador appointed to the Bahamas.
Anti-corruption groups say the practice sends a message that government posts can be bought by backing the right candidate in an election campaign. "It is an auction for donors. It is a way the administration has of rewarding them," said Josh Israel, a project co-ordinator for the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington-based watchdog group.
