WASHINGTON — Tickets to President Barack Obama's inauguration this month are supposed to be free, but they're being sold on eBay and Craigslist for up to $2,000 apiece. Efforts by congressional offices and the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which are distributing tickets to inaugural events, haven't stopped online entrepreneurs. “These tix are going like hot cakes, and for FAR more than I am listing them for on here,” boasted one anonymous seller in a post Wednesday on Craigslist. The seller, who did not return an email from The Associated Press, offered two seats to the Jan. 21 swearing-in at the Capitol for $4,000. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies issued some 250,000 tickets for lawmakers to give out however they see fit. Scalping the tickets is not illegal. But the committee's chairman, Sen. Chuck Schumer, says he is encouraging members of Congress to distribute them fairly. Although tickets for the swearing-in ceremony are free, some other inaugural events charge admission. — AP
