John Cornyn Fundraising After Criticizing Obama For Attending Fundraisers

WASHINGTON -- As debt ceiling talks hit what White House has likened to their adult stages, Republicans are howling over the fact that President Obama is set to host a series of fundraisers.

Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex.) has been particularly scornful of the president for hitting the fundraising circuit, going so far as to say he thought Obama "has diminished" the office of the presidency for giving campaign like speeches about the debt ceiling while heading to Philadelphia to raise money for his reelection campaign.

It would be a seemingly more effective argument if Cornyn wasn't doing a bit of fundraising himself. The Texas Republican, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, is set to attend a reception for Senator Dean Heller (R-Nev.) at the NRSC's headquarters from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. The suggested contribution is $1,000 per Political Action Committee and $500 per person.

The Heller fundraiser is actually the second one in as many days. Cornyn was listed as attending another NRSC fundraiser on Wednesday evening at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C., to raise funds for the Republican Senate Council.

These aren't secret affairs. The invitations were easily accessible on the Sunlight Foundation's site, Political Party Time. Other lawmakers fundraising on Thursday include Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) who had the American Institute of CPA's host a breakfast fundraiser for his campaign. Sen. Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) Leadership PAC, meanwhile, had a breakfast fundraiser with Capitol Tax Partners, a major consulting firm. Heller even had another fundraiser on Thursday, with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association PAC.

A request for comment from the NRSC was not immediately returned. That being said, the logical response would be that none of the aforementioned figures is as integrally involved in the debt ceiling talks as President Obama. Which is true. But the other main figure in that debate, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), also is reportedly leaving town on Thursday night. Why? To attend a fundraiser for Rep. Frank Guinta’s (R-NH) re-election campaign.

Lawmakers of all stripes, it appears, are keenly interested in raising money for elections, even with default readily approaching.

Boehner's office also did not return a request for comment.

UPDATE: Brian Walsh of the NRSC emails the following response to the Huffington Post.

As evidenced by the fact that he made these comments on the Senate floor, it’s clear Senator Cornyn was at work in Washington today and ready to hear the President’s plan to solve our debt crisis. Unfortunately, instead of meeting with Senate Republicans, the President felt it was more important to raise campaign cash in Philadelphia, while Harry Reid, who controls the floor schedule, announced the next vote won’t be until next Tuesday – on Libya. So whenever the Democrats choose to get serious about our debt crisis, instead of making campaign speeches, Senator Cornyn looks forward to hearing their proposals.

Comments

[2114carrie]

11:11 PM on 07/02/2011

Are you liberals serious? You compare the president, who is ultimately responsible for whether or not a deal is made for the debt ceiling, to a mere Senator? The president is constantly campaigning lately. It's first on his daily agenda a year and a half out from the election. John Cornyn attending one fundraiser is not comparable to President Obama's constnat fundraising and campaigning. Senator Cornyn is NOT the president. The president should be taking care of the business of the country, and not his re-election, first.

[getoffmedz]

09:49 PM on 07/05/2011

Actually, the fact that Senator Cornyn has does any fundraising at all is surprising.

His corporate handlers provide all the funding he may require to get reelected.

[godsgrace12]

04:21 PM on 07/01/2011

Senator John Cornyn seems to be delusional in his comment and remarks concerning the President, I agree with the President to call them out on their hypocracy.This President has supersede in his governing skills to make America a more unified, compassionate nation, people focused, and is working hard to establish a thriving outlook for the future than any President in the past. These “Old white men in the Republican party who is still in shocked that God has chosen a man of integrity, who practices antiracism, a man of character, of unity who rather peace instead of war, who thinks that America is God’s country and that all people has the right to receive equal privileges and just judgement, and believes that God’s benefits are not only for the selected few but for all people, as he communicates publicly that we are all partakers in God’s plan for prosperity, needs a reality check, they need to stop focusing on the President and use their energy and time to clean up the mess they had created for centuries, because they are not paid by the American people to be inhibitors. Their narcissistic behaviour will not help them to score points; it will only leads to their demise.The Republicans need to take a good look at their irate mentality, behaviour and give respect where respect is due, they are only embarrassing themselves, I can tell you that God is exposing their true racist behaviour as he unmasked their true traits.

[Ramirez]

01:29 PM on 07/01/2011

Everyone should take a break and go home for some fundraising. The deficit will still be there when they come back.

[JenniferWest]

11:51 AM on 07/01/2011

Republicans- Do as I say, Not as I do.

[2114carrie]

11:14 PM on 07/02/2011

Obama will rock us to be a country in crisis like Greece! Wake up!

[Joe Kin]

11:53 PM on 07/03/2011

it must be true because fox told you that. Republicans have doubled down on crazy for the forth generation, its a freaking cult!you should be ashamed of what bush did!

[bluntobject]

11:41 AM on 07/01/2011

Whenever you see Sen. Cornhole in "preacher" mode (telling us all what to think), you know something slimy is afoot. :)

[TheNative]

01:22 PM on 07/01/2011

Gee, I wonder if he uses real bean bags for this game or does he fling voters through the hole?

[bluntobject]

05:49 PM on 07/03/2011

He is one of the biggest problems/barriers to progress to ever set foot in the Senate.

[2114carrie]

11:16 PM on 07/02/2011

What do you know about Senator Cornyn? Are you from Texas. Your post is rude and shows your lack of class.

[bluntobject]

05:48 PM on 07/03/2011

LOL! well Poopoopidoo! Kiss my royal @ _ z! I know about all I care to know about Texas or Cornholio,a nd your opinion..well...sorry that doesn't hold much water either. You don't need to be from Texas to know something about a US Senator honey. We all got TV's in my town years ago! Computers too!

[MarieB]

11:19 AM on 07/01/2011

I'm so sick of these "I can do it, but you can't" double standards whiners.

[den1953]

11:01 AM on 07/01/2011

It is hard to raise money while ruining the country, you have to balance between begging for money while assuring your wealthy donors you really don't want to hurt their business, one thing for sure the Republican Party is attaching hypocrites to their party platform!

[NVEd]

10:47 AM on 07/01/2011

Funny thing is Repubs see no contradiction to their damning other people for the things which they routinely do. They are probably the worst hypocrites, as a group, in the U.S.A.

[FGW]

02:37 PM on 07/01/2011

Sorry but Not probably, they are the worst hypocrites (as a group) no mistake about it. The funny thing about it, they seam to control the spin on it when it's them....

[2114carrie]

11:20 PM on 07/02/2011

At least we know that Austrian is not a language, and that the U.S. has 50 states, not 57 as stated by President Obama. Obama has doubled the deficit, increased unemployment by 2% ,, and has increased our war involvement. Obamacare, his only great legislation, is turning into a debacle. Hope and Change.

[Ramenra]

06:03 PM on 07/04/2011

Where the hell did you get 57 states at???? I never heard him say that, when did he say that???? A christmas turkey is less full than you.

[GraniteSkyline]

10:31 AM on 07/01/2011

Its as if Republicans have a chunk of their brain missing, the chunk that comprehends the concept of hypocrisy in themselves.

Whenever their hypocrisy is pointed out to them they all respond with, "Wha...?"

[henrypapillon]

10:23 AM on 07/01/2011

There are two sets of rules: one for the Republicans, one for everybody else.

[NVEd]

10:43 AM on 07/01/2011

You think!!!!!!

[2114carrie]

11:24 PM on 07/02/2011

Really? Kind of like Congressman Weiner you mean? All Republicans want to do is lower spending and the deficit, and balance the budget. We have to reform entitlements. Do you people realize that you could take ALL the money from ALL the wealthy and you would touch our budget problem? Do you have any education in economics? We are going broke, and we'll all be thrown off the cliff if we keep this administration.

[henrypapillon]

08:19 AM on 07/03/2011

Yes, Congressman Weiner was forced to retire, almost immediately when the scandal broke. John Edwards is being prosecuted for paying a honey from political contributions.Governor Spitzer was forced by his party to retire after he was caught using the services of a prostitute on his own time with his own money. On the other hand , John Ensign stayed in office for over 2 years until he was finally forced by his party to retire to open the door for someone to be nominated that was electable, only after they determined by polls that they couldn't shove him down the public's throat.Then you have David Vitter who was caught with a prostitute and the Republican Party got behind him and threw a lot of money in that race and got him re-elected. No Republican protests there.Like I said, 2 sets of rules, one for Democrats, one for Republicans. 
      In your words,"Do you realize that you could take ALL the money from ALL the wealthy and you would touch our budget problem?" Yes, I do realize that and I think it is a good idea.  Yes, I have training in economics. I was an honors graduate in political science and I had to take economics as part of teh program. Et tu? I wonder why you weren't worrying about this 10 years ago when the white guy (Shrub) was raiding the treasury and giving all our budget surpluses to the rich.

[Ramenra]

10:20 AM on 07/01/2011

Cornyn is just another closet KKKer.

[2114carrie]

11:25 PM on 07/02/2011

That's libel. You are dead wrong.

[2114carrie]

11:34 PM on 07/02/2011

So a liberal can say Senator Cornyn is KKK and his comment is posted, but my saying that is comment is libelous may be censored. Only in the Huffington Post. Have you forgetten Voltaire?

[Ramenra]

04:34 AM on 07/03/2011

Well, let's see, closet means that he harbors those feelings but won't come out and say them overtly. Now how is that libel, if he doesn't say it out loud then the only way to figure it out is by his actions. So now 2114carrie, the only reason I am liberal is because I am left of you and that probably isn't very hard to do. I may be wrong in my opinion but you may be too. I don't know about you but I'm old enough to remember members of my family that were either KKKer's and/or supported their beliefs.

[henrypapillon]

06:58 PM on 07/03/2011

Do you even know what you actually said about taking money away from the wealthy? I quoted you and you didn't even get it. You make Sarah Palin look extremely smart.

[linmarco]

10:08 AM on 07/01/2011

There is no need to watch the late night shows, SNL, Comedy Central, etc for entertainment. All one has to do is keep abreast of the activities of the politicians and the political world and you will be all smiles, laughs, and sometimes guffaws. You'll find these politicians on both sides of the political aisle.

[Taisposo]

10:06 AM on 07/01/2011

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander," is not a favorite republican saying, is it?

[gwinegarden]

10:02 AM on 07/01/2011

Don't do as I do. Do as I say.

[jazz41]

09:53 AM on 07/01/2011

Cornyn is another Republican in Texas that needs to not be re-elected. One can only hope people will wake up, study the issues, and stop pulling the Republican straight ticket when they vote.

[TheNative]

01:29 PM on 07/01/2011

I think Texas ought to be at test state. We cut them lose from the union as they wanted, let them fund their own economy, health public services. military, and police. They can have their own currency (Jefferson Davis Dollars), their own representation in world affairs. And when they go broke because they can't sustain themselves, we invite them back to the union on our terms. Sound like a heck of an experiment. I wonder how long it would be before Mexico reclaims the land?

[jazz41]

04:26 PM on 07/01/2011

Wait until all of us get out of Texas who are not like Perry and folks like him. :-)

[2114carrie]

11:29 PM on 07/02/2011

Texas has the eighth largest economy in the world. Texas would rock. Mexico is a drug cartel invested land of corruption. Mexico couldn't reclaim a sandbox. You don't know what you're talking about.