Conventions blend money, parties, ethics rules
By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press
August 20, 2008
Page 2 of 2
"While we recognize that the steps we have taken are not perfect or even a perfect symbol, they do reflect the fact that Barack Obama shares the urgent desire of the American people to change the way Washington operates," Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said.
Money and schmoozing go hand in hand at the conventions. AT&T, for instance, is holding more than a dozen events at the conventions, and Qwest is "honoring women leaders" with a reception at the Denver Art Museum, according to the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit watchdog group that has identified more than 400 parties at the two conventions based on data compiled by the lobbying firm of Quinn Gillespie and Associates.
The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians and other medical groups will hold joint receptions for members of Congress at both conventions.
"The idea is to give our leadership a chance to be with these folks to talk about our issues and make sure that our issues are out there," said Michael Fleming, a physician who is chairman of the board of directors of FamMedPac, the family physicians' political action committee.
Groups such as the medical organizations have had to turn to legal counsel to make sure they are following the new ethics rules.
"You can have a cover band, but you can't have a name act," said Jan Baran, a campaign finance lawyer well versed in the ethics rules. "You can have a string quartet, but we're not sure you can have a DJ."
And while the rules prohibit honoring a single member of Congress, the House ethics committee has concluded that a salute to a group of House members is proper.
Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a group that advocates stricter campaign finance laws, calls that interpretation "absurd." But he said the ethics rules will have an impact.
"Not in terms of eliminating the parties and receptions that surround the conventions, but in terms of curbing the real influence-buying events that involved lobbyists and lobbying organizations spending six-figure amounts for parties that really were parties thrown by the members themselves," he said.
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