Denver. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Washington, DC. These are the hottest party spots right now for politicians and the lobbyists trying to influence them. If you want to know who's being feted by whom - and how much it costs - there's now a place to go.
The Sunlight Foundation just launched a new web site, Party Time (www.politicalpartytime.org), to track parties at both the Democratic and Republican conventions and fund raising activities by all lawmakers running for Congress.
There are already over 400 reported parties for the two presidential nominating conventions. Hosts include Qwest, Eli Lilly, AT&T, Recording Industry of America Association, PhRMA, and lobbying giant Patton Boggs. Here's a sampling of some of the parties lawmakers can be expected to attend at during convention week:
- AT&T is hosting more than a dozen parties at both conventions, most of them parties for different state delegations. The company is also underwriting both the Democratic and GOP Convention committees, and happens to be the #2 top donor to federal and candidates and parties since 1989, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. AT&T has spent more than $3 million on federal campaign contributions and lobbying combined in 2008 alone, 60% of which is directed to the GOP. It has also spent another $3.2 million on federal lobbying.
- Qwest's CEO, Ed Mueller, is hosting an event at the Denver Art Museum on Monday, August 25. The company is also giving the Democratic and GOP Convention host committees a total of some $12 million in direct and in-kind contributions. Qwest has given $682,000 to federal candidates and parties so far this election cycle, and spent $1.7 million on lobbying.
- A long list of financial service powerhouses are sponsoring a "financial literacy brunch" at the Democratic National Convention, including Allstate, AEGON, Bank of America, Capitol One, Charles Schwab, Edward Jones, Fidelity, Genworth, MasterCard, Mutual of Omaha, Nationwide, Principal Financial Group, State Farm, NASDAQ, US Bank, Visa, Wachovia and Wells Fargo. These companies are major campaign contributors and lobbying forces in Washington.
- On Wednesday, August 27, a party called "Sharing Miracles," at the Denver Aquarium, hosted by Hon. Billy Tauzin, former member of Congress and President and CEO of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
- Twin receptions, one at the Democratic Convention, on Tuesday, August 26, at the Ritz Carlton ballroom, the other at the Republican Convention, on Wednesday, September 3, at Carlson Hangar in the St. Paul Airport, called "A Toast to Travel, Hospitality and Real Estate Across America," with sponsors including Mariott, Starwood, TIA, IFA, Carlson, National Real Estate Organizations, American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Resort Development Association, Asian American Hotel Owners Association, Distilled Spirits Council, DLA Piper, NAREIT, National Business Travel Association, Printing Industries of America and the Travel Business Roundtable.
- A "Celebration of Free Speech," on September 2, at the Republican Convention, sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters.
Hopefully that "Toast to Travel" party at the St. Paul airport won't feature a lecture from Sen. Larry Craig on popular airport restrooms. Talk about awkward.
Of course there are hundreds of other parties where your elected representatives will be able to be honored by all sorts of industries and lobbyists. Beyond convention parties there are hundreds if not thousands of fund raiser invitations for lawmakers available at Party Time. The Sunlight Foundation has compiled party invitations going back to 2006 and continue to collect new invitations, even before the events happen.
While invitations to these parties and events go out by the dozen to lobbyists, there is no official requirement that they be reported to the public. Sunlight collects them from sources whose anonymity is protected. If you receive invitations, you can submit them anonymously to the Party Time Web site.
You don't want to miss out on the swanky parties that you sent your congressman to attend in Washington, Denver, or Minneapolis-St. Paul. Go and keep an eye on them at Party Time.