The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee hosts a breakfast briefing this morning with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), both members of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Bennet is facing a primary challenge this year, but first quarter reports showed him outraising his opponent, Andrew Romanoff, by a ratio of 3.5 to 1. Fifty-eight percent of the cash he collects in large individual contributions comes from out of state. Merkley is not up for reelection this year.

The monthly DSCC breakfasts are open to any donor who gives at least $5,000 to the committee per year, according to the invitation.

This weekend features a couple of getaways from the city offered by lawmakers seeking cash for their leadership PACs.

Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) will be hosting a “Pacific Northwest Summer Retreat” at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino in Washington state. Guests can look forward to sailing, kayaking (with the Congressman!), gambling and a ‘legislative update breakfast.’ Contributions are to be made out to his New Apollo Energy PAC–named for the New Apollo Energy Act he and 14 other representatives introduced in the House on June 9, 2005.

The second fundraiser will be hosted by House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA). Contributions are to be made out to the joint fundraising committee Americans for a Conservative Course. The invitation states that all donations will then be equally distributed between the four leadership committees: the Freedom Project (Boehner), For America’s Republican Majority (Latham), the Next Century Fund (Burr), and the Republican Majority Fund (Chambliss).

Click here for an updated look at fundraising parties for members of the Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee, which approved a massive health care reform bill this morning on a party-line vote. As we wrote about previously, a number of these parties were hosted by health care lobbyists:

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This weekend looks to be chock-full of a variety of congressional fundraisers–the events include golf, baseball, a birthday cruise, a weekend escape to a casino resort, and last but certainly not least, the Elton and Billy concert at Nationals Park.

Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL) is hosting her 3rd All-American Chicago Weekend which includes a Cubs v. Cardinals game from the Wrigley Field Rooftops. The invitation doesn’t give an indication as to which rooftop, but I’d wager the Congresswoman’s events planner has at least considered the Wrigley Field Rooftop Club’s MVP Suite.

According to Wikipedia, the Honorable Tom Latham (R-IA) is turning 61 on the 14th. In honor of his birthday donors can chip in $250-$2,500 to putz around on a boat named “Celebrity.”

Next up, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) is offering to whisk his donors away to the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Maybe they’ll have time to get in on a poker tournament while they are there. What’s a few hundred bucks after contributing the requested $2,000-$5,000 anyway?

Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) will be spending his weekend golfing and raising money near the beach for his First State Leadership PAC. $5,000 gets you in on the fun.

Finally, Reps. John Shadegg (R-AZ), Jean Schmidt (R-OH) and John Shimkus (R-IL) will be fundraising at the Face2Face concert on Saturday. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, so I’ll just ask that anyone who finds tickets on Craigslist email me, because $2,000 a ticket is a bit too rich for my blood and I would really love to go.

A new invitation has just popped up in our database—another anti-gay rights GOP lawmaker, Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona, is planning a fundraiser for the Elton John and Billy Joel concert this Saturday.

According to the American Conservative Union, Americans for Tax Reform, The Club for Growth (2007 scorecard here) and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Shadegg is one of the most conservative members of the House of Representatives. He has voted with both Reps. Shimkus and Schmidt on the majority of the gay rights issues discussed in my last post. The one  exception is that he did not cosponsor the Marriage Protection Amendment of June 2008, H.J.RES.89. He will be raising money for his Leadership for America’s Future PAC.

After a frantic four days in Washington, during which there were a phenomenal 240 fundraisers that we know of, members of Congress may be a little partied out. Washington’s watering holes, special interest townhouses and swanky restaurants that host fundraisers will be as quiet as members leave Washington for their districts and states. From this Friday, June 26, until Wednesday, July 8, there are a grand total of seven fundraisers scheduled to take place.

Reps. James Clyburn (D-SC) and Jim Matheson (D-UT) will be kicking off the weekend tomorrow morning with breakfast fundraisers where PACs can contribute $5,000 to host and individuals are being asked to chip in $1,000 to $1,500 to attend.

Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and John Boozman (D-AR) will be ducking out of DC a bit early for a couple of weekend long events. For $5,000 a donor can get tickets to a Yankees game against the Mets in New York with Towns and his Effective Leadership PAC. If that’s a bit too expensive donors can pick up a weekend pass to go trout fishing with Boozman for only $2,000 (PACs) or $1,000 (individuals).

While many of our elected officials will likely be trying to jet out of town the moment they get out of session next week, Rep. Donna Christensen (D-VI) will be hosting a fundraising reception at Patton Boggs House on Tuesday.

Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) may be starting his Fourth of July recess as early as this Friday. He plans to host an end of the quarter reception on the 29th and a follow up “Fish Boil with Labor & Friends” on the 30th–both in Wisconsin.

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) has canceled his First Annual Battle Born Invitational golf fundraiser, scheduled to begin on June 26th, following the aftermath of his revelation earlier this week.

Calls to Bandon Dunes Golf Course in Oregon and Pearson & Associates (the RSVP listed on the invitation, here) have confirmed that the Senator has shucked his golfing plans next weekend. This cancellation comes on the heels of Politico reporting that Senator Ensign is shedding interns…

With half a dozen golfing fundraisers this weekend from Virginia to Montana, lawmakers must be hoping for good weather.

Reps. Ed Royce (R-CA), Glenn Nye (D-VA), and Tom Rooney (R-FL) will be hosting events involving golf in the Commonwealth of Virginia and they are asking for contributions ranging from $1,000 per individual to $5,000 per team of four. Nye’s event features “special guest” NFL hall of famer Bruce Smith. Senator Baucus (D-MT) is hosting his 10th Annual Fly Fishing & Golf event in his home state this weekend. He’s asking for contributions of $5,000.

Rep. John Larson (D-CT) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) will be splitting their time this weekend at the MGM Grand’s spa in Foxwoods and the Lake of Isles Golf Course to benefit Larson’s Synergy PAC. Donors can join them in North Stonington, Connecticut for contributions of $5,000.

Finally, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) is offering PACs and individuals the opportunity to attend the US Open with him at Bethpage Black for $5,000 each.

Six golfing events in one weekend may seem like a lot—but if summers past are any indication of things to come, our legislators are just getting started.

Congress is working pretty hard this week (see a few of the scheduled hearings here, here and here).  However, the busy work schedule isn’t stopping–or maybe it’s even inspiring–legislators to party hard in their free time.  For today’s date alone, June 16, we have 33 fundraising events in the Party Time database.

Perhaps the greatest similarity between all of these events is that, with only a handful of exceptions, the choice of venue and mode of entertainment sound, well, boring.  I enjoy shrimp cocktails and Maryland crabcakes as much as anyone else, but how many private lunch buffets in the Blue Room can one legislator stand? Some of our elected officials’ favorite venues are beyond tired.

There are a few legislators who are showing some creativity. Rep. Tom Latham (R, IA-4) is hosting a fundraiser at the Starfish Café. He’s asking for $2,500 from PACs and $1,500 from individual donors (and that gorgonzola pear salad looks like it might be worth every penny). Rep. Parker Griffith (D, AL-5) is hosting a dinner at Bobby Van’s Grill—his first event at this location according to our records. While his adventurism is surely to be applauded, it may be poorly rewarded according to one Washington Post reader review.

To round out this 33-fundraising-event day, Rep. Darrell Issa (R, CA-49) is hosting his 8th annual Issa Cream Event. He’s asking PACs for $1,000 and individuals for $500.  The invitation lists 13 additional House Reps. as “special guests”–which just goes to show that everyone loves ice cream. Or issa cream. Or whatever.

Whoops. Is the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) interested in getting Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI) reelected? It would seem so from a list of fundraising events the party committee sent out yesterday featuring a fundraiser for the Michigan congressman on June 11, featuring “special guest” Rep. John Dingell (D-MI).

Thursday, June 11, 2009
Event: Congressman Gary Peters (D-MI)- Small Breakfast with Special Guest Congressman John Dingell
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: Bistro Bis
15 E Street NW
Details: Suggested Contribution Host $1,000 PAC/ $500 personal
Please make checks payable to:
Gary Peters for Congress
50 E Street SE
Washington, DC 20002
For more information or to RSVP please cakk
Allisib Griner at 202-554-0355 ot email Allison.griner@gmail.com

This was more than a bit odd, considering that the committee targeting Peters, among other Dems, “to confront these Democrats for endorsing a reckless spending spree in Washington and authorizing over $1.2 trillion in new spending so far this year.”

Minutes after sending that list out, the NRCC sent out a new list: “Please disregard previous Calendar of Events. See attached.”  Mention of the Peters fundraiser had disappeared. We imagine the folks at the NRCC realized they were taking bipartisanship a bit too far.

[Thanks to eagle eyed colleague Bill Allison, for spotting the invitation.]