Top industry executives piled into Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters over the weekend to hear California’s Barbara Boxer, New Mexico’s Jeff Bingaman and other Democratic senators discuss some of the most pressing policy issues on Capitol Hill.
The price of admission: $5,000 to $30,400, made payable to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. For those who prefer to get up close and personal with the Republicans, Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Susan Collins of Maine and other GOP officials will be at the Grand Hyatt in Washington on Monday to brief anyone who’s interested — as long as they’re willing to write checks for $5,000 and $15,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
With health care, regulatory reform and climate change rumbling through Congress, candidates and campaign committees for both parties see an irresistible opportunity to cash in ahead of the pivotal 2010 midterm elections. Scores of fundraisers by candidates in both parties are tailored specifically to the issues dominating action on the Hill — a public policy discussion that happens far away from the general public.
Election watchdogs and ethics experts fear these “issues conferences” are rife with conflicts — since those who are affected most directly by the policies often are the ones attending the briefings and writing the checks.
“They’re offering up the issue on a silver platter,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, which monitors the intersection of money and politics. “If you want access and influence with this lawmaker, you’d better attend the fundraiser that he’s sponsoring.”
