European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                It s business As usual when picking ambassador by Kimberly a c. Wilson the associated press t  cast list reads almost like something from an f. Scott Fitzgerald novel a charitable widow a lawyer a Bookstore heir hotel owner private investor and of course a wealthy Divorcee. These Are just a few of the 31 political supporters president Clinton has named to Plum ambassador ships in his first year in office. Those supporters Are responsible for More than $1.3 million in donations to democrats Over the last three elections a computer assisted review of Campaign donations found. Presidents have Long reserved the most desirable embassies mostly. European capitals for political appointees leaving less glitzy locations to career foreign service officers. It s a tradition that dates to Andrew Jackson. Secretary of state Warren Christopher however told career diplomats Early last year that ambassadors would  chosen on Quot qualifications that extend beyond Campaign   followed the passionate rhetoric of Al Core who was a vocal critic in the Senate of big Republican donors who got ambassador ships. Despite the vow to change the Clinton administration so far has stuck to the tradition of rewarding political associations and donations with ambassadorial posts critics say. Quot the ambassadorial list still pretty much looks like the elite profile of past Republican administrations Quot said Ellen Miller executive director of the Center for responsive politics a Washington group that studies political donations. Quot the total profile undercuts the administration s commitment to substantially change anything in this Field Quot she said. As in the past big donors or fundraisers walked away with some of the most prize embassies. Austria went to Swanee Hunt daughter of Tate Texas Oil billionaire . Hunt. She is a Denver philanthropist who switched allegiance from the republicans and wrote a $250,000 Check to the democratic party in August 1992. In All she and her family donated $328,700 to her newfound cause. Edward Elson who built a Fortune on an Atlanta based Chain of bookstores wednesday january 12, 1994 s t a t,.e Side Warren Christopher answers questions with . Ambassador Madeleine Albright whom is among the 10 biggest democratic donors to  picked for ambassador ship by president Clinton. And Newsstands was named ambassador to Denmark.  and his family donated $182,714 to democrats Over the past six years. K. Terry Dornbush an Atlanta investor has been nominated to head the embassy in the Netherlands.  and his family gave $253,750 to democrats. And Pamela Harriman the Quot Grande Dame Quot of the democratic party landed the ambassador ship to France. She personally has Given $130,902 to democratic causes since 1987 and is credited with raising hundreds of thousands More from others. The French speaking Harriman hails from a family steeped in politics and diplomacy. Her late husband w. Averell Harriman served As Commerce Secretary and ambassador to both great Britain and the soviet Union. Of the 77 people Clinton has nominated to head embassies and other diplomatic missions 31 nominees or 40 percent Are from political ranks outside the professional foreign service according to an associated press review of Senate foreign relations committee records. Five were $100,000-plus donors to democrats. During his four years in office the stars and stripes president Bush on average named 25 percent of his chiefs of Mission from. Political ranks while president Reagan in eight years averaged 30 percent according to state department figures. While pledging a More diverse government that Quot looks like America Quot Clinton has named six Blacks one hispanic and nine women to ambassador ships Little different than his Republican predecessors. There Are 162 chiefs of Mission most so far holdovers from the Bush administration. Clinton s record could change drastically if  selects mainly career foreign service officers for the rest of the jobs. But with just half the positions filled Clinton s 31 political appointees Are just one shy of the total Bush had at the end of his presidency. And there s talk of several More political appointments ranging from outgoing defense Secretary Les Aspin for China to democratic donor Elizabeth Bagley for Portugal. Quot if the percentage is sustained it s excessive and out of line with our understanding it was going to  70. 30,&Quot said l. Bruce Laingen president of the american Academy of  Loo Money for postings is a definite no no big donors and ambassador ships have Long gone together but those who Deal with both say its taboo for contributors to mention any conditions before making their donations. A i never once had a single donor of any size make it a condition that their contribution to the party was tied to any kind of an appointment Quot. Said Melissa Moss the former democratic National committee treasurer who helped collect Many of the party a big donor checks last election. A if in a conversation with a new donor i Ever Felt someone was misunderstanding How  operated i made very Clear their contribution was being Given because they freely and willingly supported the goals and objectives of the dec a she said. But after the election it works a bit differently. The Clinton transition team for instance canvassed Campaign supporters both workers and donors to see if there were jobs that interested them. Republicans operated in much the same Way when president Bush took office. A a. Congress passed a Law in 1980 prohibiting presidents from making ambassadorial nominations solely on the basis of political contributions. But while the Senate has occasionally challenged the credentials of nominees it has Given presidents great leeway. Administrations often try to head off criticism about a political nominees Lack of foreign experience in the Quot certificate of demonstrated competence Quot they Are required to file with the Senate. For instance when the Clinton. Administration nominated Georgia businessman and $100,000-plus donor Edward Elson As ambassador to Denmark it argued the nominee s Quot successful career As a businessman and his extensive involvement with a number of civic activities around the country make him a capable and qualified  following is a list of the 10 biggest democratic donors to  nominated to ambassador ships during Clinton s first year in office. The contributions from Senate foreign relations committee and Federal election commission records include those made by the nominees their immediate families and corporations they control. A Swanee Grace Hunt $328,700 Austria. A k. Terry Dornbush $253,750 the Netherlands. A m. Larry Lawrence $196,304 Switzerland. A Edward Elson $182,714 Denmark. A Pamela Harriman $130,902 France a Alan Blinken $46,933 Belgium. A Daniel l. Spiegel $40,796 United nations Europe. A Richard Holbrooke $30,050 Germany. A Madeleine Albright $29,350 United nations new York. A Thomas l. Siebert $28,935  the associated press Hunt 17