Members Ditch Hearings, Party At Hunan Dynasty Instead

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing Wednesday on the plight of minorities in the current economic crisis. The hearing lasted until after 1 p.m., but long before it ended committee member Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) could be found at Hunan Dynasty, eating Chinese food and soaking up campaign cash.

Daytime fundraisers are typical, of course. Members of Congress scheduled 30 fundraisers on Wednesday, per invitations obtained by the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation. Admission to Turner's event cost between $500 and $1,000, according to the invitation.

The Huffington Post, in its continuing effort to cover fundraising and lobbying in real time, visited Turner's party to find out who was willing to spend $1,000 for his company plus chow mein. Turner wouldn't say.

"Actually, I don't know who's on the list today," he said. He either did not hear or ignored the follow-up question asking if he attended his committee hearing.

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.) hosted the event. He is a member of the Committee on Education and Labor, which was holding a hearing about the Employee Non-Discrimination Act at the time.

McKeon showed up a few minutes after Turner. "I'm late for a meeting, but thank you," he said when greeted by a reporter. A spokeswoman from McKeon's office later told the Huffington Post that the congressman did, in fact, attend part of his committee hearing. Turner's office did not immediately return a call for comment.

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