Today the New York Times Editorial Page called many incoming freshmen Republicans hypocritical for smoothly entering Washington’s money culture after running anti-business-as-usual campaigns.

The Times commented on the dozens of Washington fundraisers being held by GOP freshmen in the past few weeks before the group is even sworn into office. As previously noted on Party Time, many of the events aim to pay down campaign debts from the costly midterm elections.

To be sure, the other side of the aisle is playing the same game; Party Time has received a couple of invitations to debt retirement events for Democrats.

Tomorrow morning, Mark Critz, D-Pa., the former aide to the late Rep. John Murtha, who faced stiff competition for his old boss’s seat in a special election earlier in 2010 and defended it in the midterm, is getting help from the Democratic National Committee, which is holding a fundraiser for Critz at its headquarters, the congressman’s office confirmed.

With strong attendance, Critz could easily make up his election debt — totaling about $65,000, according to Federal Election Commission filings. PACs are being asked to shell out as much as $5,000, though individuals can attend for $500.

Donors appear to have a choice: if they want their funds to go towards 2010’s debt, they simply need to write “General Election Debt” on their checks, according to the invitation.

Debt relief fundraising provides an opportunity to special interests that were not big contributors before Nov. 2 to bend the congressman’s ear. By donating now, as opposed to during Critz’s close election race, corporate PAC managers and lobbyists are getting a sure thing — there is no doubt that Critz will be in Congress come January. The former Murtha aide won his seat in a tight race, winning 51 percent of the vote.

Down in New Orleans, a Democrat saddled with a bit more debt — Cedric Richmond — planned a “Debt Retirement Lunch” for today. The Congressman-elect has over $170,000 in debt, according to FEC filings, and is asking for contributions of between $500 and $5,000, according to the invitation.

And what about the Democrats that lost? Rep. Mike McMahon, D-N.Y., fell to Michael Grimm, but he held a donor appreciation event at a Capitol Hill lobbying office last week which drew a sizable crowd, according to his fundraising consultants. The event was complimentary to donors and the invitation did not solicit donations.

Of late, a handful of other “Thank You” events have been scheduled by Democrats, including election winners Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and David Scott, D-Ga., neither of whom has campaign debt, according to the FEC.

Tis the season for…debt retirement.

Eighteen fundraisers are planned over the next four weeks for recently elected Republicans seeking to retire their campaign debt, according to the invitations received by Party Time thus far.

Many of these candidates reported significant debts in their most recent reports to the Federal Election Commission, filed in mid-October.* How much debt they accrued by Election Day won’t be known until early December.

The biggest debtors of the group holding events are Francisco Canseco, who owed over $1.1 million, William Flores, at $825,000 and David Schweikert, at $500,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Jeff Denham also reported nearly $200,000 in debt.

Meanwhile, Chris Gibson, Michael Grimm, and Adam Kinzinger reported no campaign debt in mid-October, according to CRP.

The victor from one of the most expensive House contests — Texas’s 17th – is getting help from GOP House leaders. NRCC chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, running to chair the GOP Conference, are “special guests” to a Wednesday Capitol Hill Club “Debt Retirement Reception”for Bill Flores, who defeated House lion Chet Edwards, D-Texas.

After an even more expensive race, political novice Chris Gibson apparently has debt to retire, so he’s putting on a fundraiser Thursday at the Associated General Contractors’ townhouse.

Staten Island’s Michael Grimm, who will become the only Republican in the New York City delegation, booked the Capitol Hill Club for a reception last night.

And on Friday, suburban Illinois Congressman-elect Adam Kinzinger has planned a “Debt Retirement Breakfast” asking for as much as $5,000 from PACs and $2,400 from individual donors.

The solicitation from California’s Jeff Denham is more subtle. The Fresno, Calif. calls his fundraiser a “Thank You Reception.” Further down the page, the flyer references the debt: “This event is complimentary to previous donors. New donors can attend with their debt retirement contribution.” Both Kinzinger and Denham’s events are scheduled for the Capitol Hill Club.

On Thursday, Sessions and Hensarling are headlining another fundraiser — this time for Francisco “Quico” Canseco. The businessman overcame six-term Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, D-Texas, along the Mexican border.

At present, the Party Time database does not include any debt retirement fundraisers for Democrats, but we will report on such events when we receive them.

*The original version of this post reported that all of the candidates holding debt retirement fundraisers were in the black as of mid-October. Although  all reported having cash on hand — we neglected to write that many reported debts, and we have updated this post accordingly. Party Time regrets the error.

When groups make independent expenditures to support or oppose a candidacy, they are not supposed to coordinate in any way with a candidate. The Federal Election Commission defines this as any communication “that is not made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a candidate’s authorized committee, or their agents, or a political party or its agents.”

However, a review of Party Time records show that, in the cozy world that exists inside-the-beltway groups and individuals involved with making decisions about independent expenditures have had ample opportunities to rub shoulders with candidates at fundraising events—opportunities where discussions about campaigns could occur.

Read the rest over at the Reporting Group site.

In case you were wondering: Rep. Brad Sherman, D., Calif., will attend his fundraiser this afternoon at the offices of the Democratic National Committee.

We know because we received another notice of the event, this one with the tag line on top: “Congressman Sherman will be present at the reception on October 7.”

Presumably the congressman’s staff put the note up top to reassure donors who might think that he is back in his district campaigning. His office also confirmed on the phone that the congressman, who serves on the Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees (which the invitation also points out), is definitely attending.

Sherman’s race is not considered competitive; according to the Center for Responsive Politics, he has raised $1.3 million to his opponent’s $18,000.

Congress may be out of session, but the flow of inside-the-beltway money continues.

Thus far we have counted 470 invitations to fundraisers from Sept. 1 through the end of this week, according to invitations received by Party Time, the great majority of them in Washington, D.C. There are at least three dozen parties scheduled this week; to see all upcoming events, click here.

The spotlight this week is on two veteran West Coast senators in danger of losing their seats:

On Thursday, Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., gets an assist from House Transportation Committee Chair Jim Oberstar, D-Minn. Donations go to a joint fundraising committee called Boxer/Oberstar 2010, one of a few such committees Boxer has set up, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Proceeds of these committees must go to at least two political committees or organizations. Alcalde & Fey lobbyist Paul Schlesinger, one of the hosts of the event, is a transportation and infrastructure specialist who lobbies for a slew of California cities.

On Wednesday, Patty Murray, D-Wash., whose race with Republican Dino Rossi is a toss-up, according to the Cook Political Report, is being honored at the Embassy Row home of longtime Democratic donor Esther Coopersmith, a former U.S. representative to the United Nations under President Carter who, according to The Hill, has met every president since Harry Truman. The ask runs between $250 and $2,500.

Here are highlights from the lineup for the rest of the week:

*Today: Former congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, running for his seat back against young Democratic leader Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., in the Philadelphia suburbs, planned a roundtable discussion and lunch fundraiser in New York City, headlined by Financial Services ranking member Spencer Bachus, R-Ala. Recent polling shows Fitzpatrick with a double-digit lead over Murphy, who helps run the DCCC’s Red-to-Blue program.

*Today: Another challenger, Ben Quayle, gunning to represent Arizona’s third district, has planned to milk DC donors at Johnny’s Half Shell. Quayle narrowly got by a packed primary field but the seat is likely his, according to the Cook Political Report. He faces John Hulburd, who he has significantly out-raised, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

*Wednesday: Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa., in potential trouble against Tom Marino despite raising much more money than him, tries to keep the green coming, asking PACs to contribute as much as $5,000 for lunch at Johnny’s Half Shell.

*Thursday:  Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, has signed on to $500-per-PAC Capitol Hill fundraiser in support of Jason Levesque, a Maine Republican and marketing company owner with a chance to unseat four-term incumbent Mike Michaud, D-Maine.

Karl Rove, the reported master-mind behind the GOP outside-spending onslaught this election, is appearing at a “private roundtable” today to benefit Ohio House candidate James Renacci.

The ask is $3,000-per-person, $6,000-per-couple for the gathering at the home of Donald and Laurie DeVille, in Canton, Ohio. Donald Deville  is president of DeVille Apartments and Builders, which specializes in lower-end rentals in the Canton area. The proceeds are to go to a special joint committee for Renacci and the Ohio state Republican party.

There is also a luncheon and a VIP reception the same day at the Brookside Country Club.

Not much information is publicly available about Deville, who contributed to the McCain campaign in 2008, as well as Kirk Schuring, who ran and lost that same year in the same district, Ohio’s sixteenth. He was not available for immediate comment.

The race, which is rated as a “tossup” by Cook Political report, has already drawn a large amount of independent expenditures. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and unions have paid out $1.3 million opposing Renacci, while The 60-Plus Association and AUL Action NFP, a pro-life organization, have spent $638,000 against Renacci’s opponent, John Boccieri.

Earlier this week, Sarah Palin included the race on her new “Take Back the 20” website.

This is the first invitation Party Time has acquired this year that lists Rove as a draw. The database includes three other fundraisers he hosted in 2008 and 2006.

Ninety congressional fundraisers are planned over the next two weeks, including 34 for candidates running in close races, according to the Party Time database. The great majority of these events are in Washington, D.C. as candidates fundraise furiously during the last few days of this session. Party Time has logged 364 planned fundraisers since the start of September, and continues to add new fundraising invitations to the database as we receive them. Click here to see them all. To see a list of upcoming parties for candidates in close races, see below.

Some notable examples include:

• Tomorrow Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., headlines this reception for David Schweikert, running in a closely contested race for Arizona’s fifth district.  Schweikert is one of the National Republican Campaign Committee’s (NRCC) “young guns,” selected for special help with fundraising and support, who also has the support of the Arizona Tea Party. His Democratic opponent, Rep. Harry Mitchell, will be raising cash at this reception on Sept. 30.
• Tomorrow Republican and Tea Party candidate Ken Buck, who is challenging Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., fundraises at this reception at the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC). Senate  Minority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky., and NRSC Chairman John Cornyn, R-Texas, are among the GOP Senate heavyweights headlining the event. The race has drawn some of the largest independent expenditures to date.
• Several senators who are not up for re-election this year have planned fundraisers for their leadership PACs, likely to raise cash to spread around to other candidates who are facing tight races. Today Senate Majority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., raises cash at this dinner for his Senate Majority Fund. Hosts include lobbyists representing the American Bankers Association, US Oncology, and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, as well as the National Mining Association PAC.
• Tomorrow, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., is hosting this reception benefiting her America’s Leadership PAC at the offices of lobbying firm Cornerstone Government Affairs. Meanwhile, over at Charlie Palmer Steak, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., is hosting a dinner for his LEG PAC. Other senators with leadership PAC fundraisers on tap include Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., with this planned reception on October 6. Already passed is this breakfast on September 15 for KPAC, run by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.

Click here to download a spreadsheet of upcoming fundraisers for candidates in competitive races, based on Cook Report ratings.

September fundraising mayhem continues, with at least 37 congressional fundraising parties  planned today, all in Washington, DC. (To see a list of today’s planned parties, click here.) Many of these are events benefit candidates in tough races:

• Koch Industries’ PAC is one of the hosts for this GOP star-studded reception for Carly Fiorina, running against Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., at the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC). Others on the long list include GOP powerhouse lobbying couple Charlie and Judy Black, Missy Edwards, and Kirk Blalock. Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Sen. Minority Whip John Kyl, R-Ariz., and NRSC Chairman John Cornyn, R-Texas are also headlining the event.
• Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Colo., defending her seat in Colorado’s fourth district, benefits from this breakfast at the D.C. law offices of Polsinelli Shughart PC hosted by a trio of the firm’s lobbyists: Jim Davidson, Anita Estell, and Martin Frost. Also today, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio and National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) Chairman Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, headline this reception for her opponent, Cory Gardner.
• Sessions is also appearing at this fundraiser for Richard Hannah, running in New York’s 24th district against incumbent Michael Acuri, D-N.Y.
• Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., facing a tough race himself in Colorado’s third district, is the lead host on this breakfast for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ BOLD PAC.

Click here to download Monday’s spreadsheet of upcoming fundraisers for candidates in competitive races We will be updating this list weekly.

The September congressional fundraising fury continues, with nearly 50 parties scheduled today, the great majority of them in Washington, D.C. To see the full list of today’s parties, check out this link. Here’s a spotlight on a few:

• President Barack Obama is headlining an event tonight to raise cash for congressional Democrats at New York’s Roosevelt hotel.
• Newt Gingrich is slated to appear at a breakfast for Voice for Freedom, the leadership PAC for Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga.
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairman Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., raises cash at breakfast hosted by trio of tax lobbyists.
• Four events for candidates in races rated as “toss up” by Cook Political Report: a luncheon for GOP candidate Robert Hurt, running in Virginia’s fifth district; a breakfast for Republican Charles Kong Djou, who is defending his seat in Hawaii; another breakfast for Rep. Harry Teague, D-N.M., hosted by lobbyists Kyle Simpson and Ronnie Shows; and a reception for Rep. Jim Marshall, D-Ga. For a spreadsheet of upcoming parties for candidates in tough races, click here.

The D.C. fundraising blitz continues, with nearly 250 parties planned since the beginning of this month, according to the Party Time database. Of these more than 60 are scheduled over the next three weeks alone for candidates in tough races. (See spreadsheet below for full list of fundraisers for candidates in close races. To view all upcoming ones, click here.)

We will update this spreadsheet weekly in the run up to the election as a tool to track fundraising events for these races. To identify close races we’ve used analysis by the Cook Political Report.

Highlights include:

• On Tuesday, lobbyists for agricultural interests are hosting a breakfast for farmer Steve Fincher, who is running on the GOP ticket for a Tennessee open House seat. Hosts include the American Veterinary Medical Association PAC and lobbyists for the USA Rice Federation, the National Cotton Council, and another who represents the Georgia Peanut Commission and the Georgia Pecan Growers Association. Fincher has already raised more than $284,000 from agricultural interests, while his opponent, Roy Herron, has gotten just $24,000. Fincher is also the beneficiary of this breakfast on Thursday headlined by the GOP Tennessee delegation and lobbyist Tim Locke.
• Also tomorrow, Democratic powerhouse lobbyist Jack Quinn is leading several Quinn Gillespie lobbyists hosting  a lunch at the firm’s offices for Robin Carnahan, running for Missouri’s open Senate seat against Roy Blunt. Carnahan is also the beneficiary of this labor breakfast on Thursday. On Wednesday, Blunt is the beneficiary of this reception at the Hotel George hosted by lobbyists Rhod Shaw, Sam Geduldig, Doug Ritter, and Mildred Webber.
• On Thursday, Rep. Ron Klein, D-Fla., who is in a hotly contested race to defend his seat against Tea Party candidate Allen West, will be feted at this reception at the Williams & Jensen townhouse on Capitol Hill. The event is hosted by three of the firm’s lobbyists, David Franasiak, Bert Carp, and Melinda Maxfield.

Click here to download a spreadsheet of upcoming fundraisers for candidates in competitive races.