Super Committee Members Plan Fundraisers During Deficit Talks

WASHINGTON -- The super committee created by the debt limit deal to plot $1.5 trillion in deficit cuts is set to begin hearings in the next two weeks. Members of the super committee are also set to continue fundraising -- despite calls from campaign finance watchdogs to stop seeking donations while negotiating the proposed cuts.

According to a release of fundraising invitations gathered by the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit group promoting transparency in government, super committee members have scheduled at least 14 fundraisers during the first two months that the committee will be holding hearings. The foundation rounded up no fundraising invitations involving four of the 12 members -- Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Reps. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

"These events are basically giving access to these members for special interests," said Bill Allison, editorial director of the Sunlight Foundation. "The average American can't afford to do that."

The list of those super committee members holding the most fundraising events highlights the congressional leadership's decision to stack the committee with lawmakers who are both adept at raising and required to raise a lot of money for their respective parties.

The situation is more acute for the Democrats. Their super committee members include Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the top fundraiser for the Senate Democrats; Rep. Jim Clyburn (S.C.), the third-highest ranking Democrat in the House; and Reps. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Xavier Becerra (Calif.), both rising House Democrats who must raise money to move up the leadership ranks.

Clyburn is leading the pack with nine fundraisers scheduled in the next few months. These include four for Clyburn's own campaign, three for his political action committee and one for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in honor of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). Clyburn will be hosting that last one. Four of Clyburn's fundraisers occur on consecutive days in the first week during which the super committee is required to hold a meeting.

Murray and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) will both be hosting events to raise money for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the first two weeks during which the super committee will hold hearings. Contributors at these events are allowed to give as much as $30,800.

Becerra will be holding one fundraiser on Wednesday and another for his leadership PAC on Sept. 7. Van Hollen is hosting a fundraiser for Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) on Oct. 5.

The only known fundraisers to be held by the Republicans are a Sept. 7 event for super committee member Rep. Dave Camp (Mich.) and a fundraiser to be hosted by super committee member Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).

The campaign finance watchdog Public Campaign is leading a coalition of groups calling on super committee members to cease all campaign fundraising activities during the four months the committee will operate.

"These 12 members already have $20.4 million in their campaign accounts," said David Donnelly, national campaigns director for the Public Campaign Action Fund. "To continue to raise money at this pace looks like they're treating the super committee as a cash cow. It's a perfect way to destroy any trust that Americans have left for Congress."

Comments

[Cathleen Holdsworth]

12:51 PM on 09/06/2011

I hope these guys realize that disabled, elderly and poor are scared to death there very life line is in the hands of people who may be more concerned about there campagin money. Raise some money to help the Americans that are going under and bail out all the new poor that have come out of corprate greed. God wants american to care about each other and keep the life lines many americans worked hard to get. Create Jobs and sell to other countries, stop the war we cannot afford anymore our people are goiing without food. Medicaid is needed for disabled children and adults.

[motorprops]

01:41 PM on 08/31/2011

These 4 republicans aren't out fund raising because they get their Big Oil checks direct deposited

[Blogging Patriot]

12:37 PM on 08/31/2011

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

- CICERO - 55 BC

[Blogging Patriot]

12:37 PM on 08/31/2011

"As someone who has always been independent of political parties, I've never understood their value, let alone our attraction toward them.

Political parties serve always to distract the public and enfeeble the public administration. They agitate the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindle the animosity of one party against another, and are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp for themselves the reins of government; destroying afterwards the very engines, which have lifted them to unjust dominion."

George Washington wrote it 215 years ago in what came to be known as his Farewell Address.

[Andy Svoboda]

12:13 PM on 08/31/2011

Sounds like some more people to vote against.

[Vic22]

11:59 AM on 08/31/2011

All funds raised by the committee during this time should have to go right into deficit reduction

[jhNY]

11:37 AM on 08/31/2011

Corruption does not die a natural death. Our politics and our politicians are owned utterly by the donor class. Out of this fact arises agenda and itinerary for both parties, members of which will say anything they imagine the voters wish to hear, but will do only those things which their core constituency, the donor class, demands. Money madness has ruined our democracy.

[gradyp]

11:24 AM on 08/31/2011

News? Pigs eating from the trough is now newsworthy?

[qq33jb]

10:54 AM on 08/31/2011

Nothing will change untill they are all bodily thrown out at one time.

[AZreb]

10:54 AM on 08/31/2011

What a surprise - 4 Republicans will have NO fundraising events during the 2 months while 4 Democrats will hit the campaign trail for more money. That really was a surprise - thought it would be the other way around.

[schnauzergirl]

12:54 PM on 08/31/2011

The GOPers were all flitiing about the country during the debt limit talks raising campaign funds (instead of working).

[El Guapo Numero Uno]

09:07 AM on 08/31/2011

I almost threw up on my computer. Almost. I have become so used to this garbage from politicians that my gag reflex has become less sensitive lately. Guess what? I bet each of these clowns gets re-elected in their districts. America, look at yourself in the mirror and realize that when you buy your incumbents garbage and send them back to Washington, you are encouraging these types of actions. Until we vote out incumbents, regardless of party, and demand more from our elected officials, we will continue to get treated like this. "Oh, its not my rep. Its the other guy." Yeah, keep drinking the kool aid.

[new beginning]

08:24 AM on 08/31/2011

Buried in the story you see that the only ones NOT fundraising are 4 Republicans - Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Reps. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

Thank you to those who are NOT political opportunists.

[dragucci]

09:29 AM on 08/31/2011

The few,the proud?Highly unlikely! thousands of lobbyist in Washington with congressman having plenty of underlings to "DO THE PICKUP AS THEY SAY" There is no such thing as a politician NOT fundraising my naive idealogical little tool.

[new beginning]

01:40 PM on 08/31/2011

Read the article.

[MED1025]

09:57 AM on 08/31/2011

Just won election/re-election and don't need to raise money right now. That will come later.

[Prankster]

07:52 AM on 08/31/2011

"It's a perfect way to destroy any trust that Americans have left for Congress."
Oh, please!!!! Does this guy really think that Americans have ANY trust left for congress??? They are all bought and paid for. The only people who have any chance with these "people" are the rich and corporations! They sold us out years ago!

[jawbonejw]

07:46 AM on 08/31/2011

What does everyone expect? American politicians cost money too!

[nixrox04]

07:20 AM on 08/31/2011

Super committee = super contributions.
American congress is now a gamed system of "pay to play". Its all a facade...the special interests decide who will run for office and who will run congress, not you and I. We have no choice who the candidates will be, they have decided it for you and there is no way the typical American can run for office against these chosen few and powerful interests.