Lawmakers Go Golfing, Party With Bruce, Raise Cash

This upcoming weekend will see a number of lawmakers hosting multi-day Fall retreats at resorts and hotels across the nation, according to invitations obtained by the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation. These weekend fundraisers are chances for incumbents to grab some campaign cash and for lobbyists to spend some face time with legislators.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is having guests come to Sea Island, Ga., for a series of receptions, dinners and a golf tournament as well as some tennis, fishing and skeet shooting.

For $5,000, join Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) a few days at a luxury beach hotel on Kiawah Island, S.C., which promises a spa, tennis, and wildlife watching.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is charging $5,000 for a retreat in New York city and the opportunity to whisper into the ears of Rep. John Salazar (D-Colo.), Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.).

The Leadership PAC of Congressional Chief Deputy Whip and New Democratic Coalition chair Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) is inviting donators to come to a resort in West Sulphur Springs, W.V. for a planned dinner and Sunday brunch, with a price tag of $1,000 to $2,500. The hotel promises golf, whitewater rafting, falconry, mountain biking, and horseback riding, among many other options.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) is charging up to $2,500 for a Sunday night retreat at a resort in Greensboro, Ga., that boasts five golf courses as well as an indoor/outdoor pool, 12 tennis courts, and a fitness club.

On Monday night, Bruce Springsteen is coming to DC, providing some lawmakers a reason to host a fundraiser. Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), Rep. John Hall (D-N.Y.) and the PAC of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) are all planning to party with the Boss, with price tags ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 according to the Sunlight Foundation. The concert is sold out, but lobbyists and special interests who want to buddy up with legislators still have the chance to pump their fists and stamp their feet. Rep Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) is also planning on attending one of the fundraisers as a "Special Guest," as is the E Street Band's Steven Van Zandt, who will take some time off from jamming to pose for photos and sip a drink or two at a pre-concert reception.