Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) is raising cash for his leadership PAC at a golfing event this month, despite the fact he is retiring, according to a report (subscription required) by Roll Call reporter Matthew Murray, who obtained the invitation.

Murray reports that the event “appears to be a rare example of a lame-duck lawmaker hitting up lobbyists for campaign cash while he still can. Tanner’s pitch, according to downtown sources, is also seen as an attempt to seed his leadership political action committee — a political account that has very few spending restrictions — to further his expected K Street career once he leaves Capitol Hill in January.” (He also quotes me in the story.)

Murray uses the Party Time database to show that it’s rare for politicians to hold fundraising events once they’ve announced their retirement:

According to Sunlight Foundation records, only a handful of retiring Members this cycle have announced fundraisers once they’ve either bowed out or been ousted by voters. Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), who announced his retirement in January 2009, held an event for his leadership PAC four months later, Sunlight Foundation records show. As of April 1, Bond’s Kit PAC had raised $339,000 and spent $293,000 this cycle, including roughly $40,000 on lodging and catering expenses in Key West, Fla., according to MoneyLine.

All cycle, Bond’s leadership PAC has given only $50,000 to candidates, campaign finance records also show. His office did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

Sen. Bob Bennett, who was not renominated last month during the Utah GOP convention, is hosting a “Flies and Drives” golf and fly-fishing fundraiser Aug. 13-14 in Park City, Utah, according to Sunlight’s website. His office also did not respond to a request for comment.

Leadership PACs have far fewer spending restrictions than do personal campaign committees, and campaign finance experts and the Federal Election Commission have urged that these rules be strengthened.

Edited to add: Keen-eyed Party Time intern Keenan Steiner points out that Tanner has been helping fundraise for fellow Blue Dogs recently. Check out these events–four in 2010–where Rep. Tanner has been a host for Blue Dog coalition members who are in competitive races. This includes this breakfast for Roy Herron, who is running for Tanner’s seat in Tennessee. Leadership PAC 21, Tanner’s PAC, has given $10,000 to Herron. Other top recipients include Reps. Boyd Allen (D-Fla.), who has co-hosted fundraisers with Tanner, and Travis Childers (D-Miss.), Glenn Nye (D-Va.), and Baron Hill (D-Ind.), all of whom are in competitive races.

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