Conventions blend money, parties, ethics rules
By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press
August 20, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama and John McCain have burnished images as politicians who keep special interests at arms' length, yet there won't be much stiff-arming at their nominating conventions.
For the next two weeks -- in Denver and then St. Paul, Minn. -- corporations, unions, advocacy groups and politicians will be shoulder to shoulder if not in a warm embrace.
Business and labor interests have donated millions to the Democratic and Republican convention host committees in exchange for premium seats and special access. Many institutions will also hold parties and receptions where lawmakers can get an earful -- though not more than a mouthful -- from lobbyists and their clients.
New ethics restrictions have changed the comfort level for convention parties and receptions. The rules permit food and refreshment of a nominal value, but not a meal. That limitation has turned questions once left to the kitchen, such as when finger food is more than just an hors d'oeuvre, into head-scratching legal issues.
The rules aim to do away with the lavish extravaganzas of past conventions, where powerful members of Congress were feted by interest groups pleading their legislative cases.
Tougher ethics rules aside, conventions remain the only activity where federal candidates can raise unrestricted amounts of money from wealthy donors, unions or corporations -- donations typically called "soft money."
Why? Because the recipients are convention host committees, which technically are not political entities.
Top donors are giving $1 million or more to these committees, with a few dozen corporations, including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Pfizer and Qwest, contributing to both conventions.
Million-dollar donors to the Denver Host Committee are rewarded with suites at Invesco Field, the football stadium where Obama will deliver his acceptance speech.
Obama is also offering club level seats at Invesco and an invitation to a special reception for $1,000 to his campaign fund.
"Regardless of the parties, there is a certain political intercourse that is thrown in with other broader benefits of future access and gratitude when you become a financier of the conventions," said Stephen Weissman, associate director for policy at the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute.
Obama has said he wants to reform the soft money system of financing conventions. And McCain was one of the lead authors of legislation that in 2002 did away with soft money to the political parties -- a law that many watchdog groups say should have been applied to the conventions as well.
But both candidates are ready to enjoy the fruits of these big donations.
Obama, in fact, is helping the Denver Host Committee, offering his fundraising team and his big donors to raise soft money for the convention. Obama, who has banned lobbyists' contributions to his campaign and to the Democratic National Committee, has placed the same ban on convention solicitations initiated by his campaign, aides said. Neither McCain nor the Republican National Committee reject lobbyist donations.
>> Continued -- Page 1 2
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
