Over the last few days there has been some great reporting on the upcoming party scene at the Denver and Republican conventions, not least because many of the articles mention our own humble newly launched website.

In the picture is worth 1,000 words category, the Las Vegas Sun’s Lisa Mascaro’s story displays a “slider” without a toothpick and one cut in half with a toothpick, to illustrate how the “toothpick rule” governing convention parties works. Those who wish to attend members of Congress or top staff under this exception to the gift rule can serve the one with the toothpick, but not the one without.

Jim Kuhnhenn of the Associated Press reports that medical trade groups are feting lawmakers in Denver and the Twin Cities:

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.

Brody Mullins and Elizabeth Williamson at The Wall Street Journal write on the proliferation of events at the conventions that technically qualify as charitable events, another ethics law exemption.

The rules don’t apply to charitable fundraisers. So lawmakers and aides are free to play in a poker tournament sponsored by the Poker Players Alliance. Funding for the event and charitable contributions come from the alliance and various other sponsors. Because proceeds will go to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the poker lobby can pick up the tab for the event and attend along with about 200 poker celebrities, lawmakers, aides and delegates. Guests will be given $5,000 worth of chips for the four-hour tournament, with the winnings going to the veterans group. A spokeswoman for the alliance says the event complies with the law.

And they also illustrate the “widely attended event” exemption:

Another popular party exemption is the so-called “widely-attended” event clause. Under that rule, corporations can pick up the tab for parties if they meet two conditions. One is that at least 25 people invited are not members of Congress or staff. The second condition, which applies only to House members: The party must have some element that relates to official congressional business.

So when the Recording Industry Association of America decided to throw the Kanye West party, it teamed up with the One Campaign in order to promote solutions to global AIDS and poverty. Literature on the topic will be available at the event and several speakers will address poverty relief before the concert.

“The truth is the ethics changes haven’t affected our parties very much,” said Jonathan Lamy, a spokesman for the trade association.

Likewise, when the Distilled Spirits Council throws the “Spirits of Denver,” party goers will hear a brief presentation on how to prevent underage drinking.

With the parties about to start, I’ve got some butterflies in my stomach about crashing them. I am fortifying myself with certain feminine rituals-new lipstick and a fresh pedicure. I’m for ridding the world of poverty and AIDS, and now that I’m a mother, I’m certainly against underage drinking. But will the party hosts let me in to these parties so I can be educated on these matters? We’ll see.

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