Pelosi’s Open House
Posted by Andy on February 24th, 2007
Critics deride the aggressive fundraising push as the kind of business as usual that voters rejected at the ballot box last November — particularly the practice of giving interest groups access to committee chairmen in exchange for sizable donations — but Democrats are unapologetic.
“Financial services companies are inclined to give to me because I’m chairman of the committee important to their interests,” said Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, who will headline a breakfast Wednesday at a D.C. hotel, for which donations range from $1,000 to $15,000 for the Democratic National Committee. “I’m fundraising to give to others so I can help stay in the majority and do the public policy things I want.”
Asked whether banking interests feel obligated to give to Democrats when he asks them for contributions, Frank answered: “Obligated? No. Incentivized? Yes.” Frank said, however, that those donating “understand, and others do, too, that there are no guarantees of my doing what they want, or even my being pleasant.”
“I’m getting a lot of fundraising invitations,” said Robert E. Juliano, a Democratic lobbyist. “It’s no different than any other year.”
The invitation to Frank’s DNC event, which notes in bold letters that the Massachusetts Democrat is chairman of the financial services panel, was sent to financial-industry lobbyists and financial companies, among others.
Culture of corruption?
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