Looking to end the second quarter of 2011 on a high note, the Democratic Party has three high-dollar fundraisers scheduled for the end of June. Events will be held to benefit the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Women’s Senate Network of the DSCC.

The first scheduled event is the “Friends on the Hill Dinner” tonight. The dinner at the St. Regis Hotel will benefit the DSCC with suggested individual donations of $10,000. The main draw for this fundraiser will undoubtedly be the listed hosts: chiefs of staff to leading Democratic senators, including Harry Reid, D-Nev., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., among others.

Congressional staffers have been featured guests at other political fundraisers–earlier this year, for example, Party Time reported on two separate events hosted by chiefs of staff to Democratic House members. And last year, Party Time highlighted a fundraiser featuring a new chief of staff to a Republican senator as the main draw.

According to the Senate Ethics Manual from the 108th Congress (seemingly the last to have been published online), Senate Rule 41.1 prohibits employees of the Senate from soliciting, receiving, or having custody of campaign funds unless they hold one of three designations. The Senate offices of Sens. Murray and Durbin confirmed that their chiefs of staff are in fact designated to handle campaign funds but calls made to the offices of the other senators were not returned by the time of this post.

On June 21, the Women’s Senate Network of the DSCC will hold a reception and dinner to benefit those members of their network up for re-election in 2012. Listed contributions range from $1,000 to attend only the reception to $30,800 for the host committee. Those contributions will be made to the DSCC, with some funds directed to Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., all of whom will be up for re-election in the next campaign cycle.

The next night the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will have its turn when it holds a fundraiser honoring Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and John Lewis, D-Ga. Rep. Hoyer is celebrating his 30th year in Congress this year while Rep. Lewis is celebrating his 25th. While both representatives have individual fundraisers scheduled this month celebrating their feats of legislative longevity, this event will celebrate benefit the DCCC as a whole. Contributions start at $1,000 for an individual ticket while the honor of being a PAC host for the event will require a contribution of $15,000.

Lobbyists looking to get the ear of Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., or Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn, will soon have their chance — along with thousands of screaming teenagers. Both Klobuchar and Moore (representing her GWEN PAC) are holding fundraisers at the Glee! Live in Concert show at the Verizon Center on June 9.

Tickets for the event are normally either $66.35 or $108.70 depending on the seat, but tickets to enjoy the concert with either the representative or the senator are a bit more costly. Contributions to the GWEN PAC event are listed as $1,500 for one ticket or $2,500 for two, while the price to attend the show with Sen. Klobuchar is $2,000.

Followers of the senior senator from Minnesota should not be surprised that Klobuchar is holding a fundraiser at a Glee concert. Last summer Sen. Klobuchar made the news when, during the Senate confirmation hearings for Elena Kagan, the Senator asked the prospective Supreme Court Justice if she could comment on the famous case of Edward vs. Jacob referring to the movie Twilight. She asked this after mentioning that her family had been up late the previous night for the premiere of the third Twilight movie and then was host to a sleepover of three 15-year-old girls. As the mother of a teenage girl and a lawmaker who is not afraid to insert pop culture into politics, it is perfectly natural that the Senator would choose to hold a fundraiser at the upcoming Glee concert.

Delaware’s Former Lt. Governor John Carney (D-DE) is running  uncontested for the state’s lone House seat–and he is doing it with the political weight of the DCCC, a handful of lawmakers, and at least half a dozen well connected lobbyists behind him (see this invitation to a November 4 luncheon).

According to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, Carney had raised $427,000 by the end of the third quarter of this year. His only registered opponent in the primary so far, Scott Spencer, has reported nothing whatsoever, and no Republican opponent has announced yet.

The incumbent, Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) announced last month that he would be running to fill the Senate seat vacated by Vice President Joe Biden, effectively clearing the way for Carney.

Carney announced his candidacy on tax day earlier this year and shortly thereafter received the endorsement of Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), the state’s senior Senator:

“He is the strongest Democratic congressional candidate that our state has seen in many years,” Carper said. “The breadth of his experience and knowledge of this state and many of the issues we face now make him more than qualified to be a United States congressman.”

Carper speaks from experience–Carney worked as his secretary of finance and as deputy chief of staff when Carper was Governor. In addition to his public endorsement, Carper may or may not be calling in a favor or two. Jonathon Jones,  his former chief of staff from 2001-2007, and now a lobbyist, is billed as one of the hosts on the November 4 luncheon invitation.

Jones isn’t the only former chief of staff turned lobbyist on the invitation though–John Michael Gonzalez, chief of staff to Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL) from 2005-2009, is also listed as an event host (note that Bean is also mentioned on the invitation).

Other event hosts include lobbyist Sean Richardson, chief of staff to Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) from 2002-2006 and to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in 2007; lobbyist Jeffrey Peck, former staff director of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1987-1992, lobbyist Tanya Lombard who worked as a Special Assistant to President Clinton, and finally Gwen Mellor who lobbies for Hogan & Hartson.

Carney’s inside support is already showing in his campaign receipts. His third top source of cash is leadership PACs.

To see clients for lobbyists hosting the event click on individuals’ names: Jeffrey Peck, Jonathon Jones, John Michael Gonzalez, Tanya Lombard, Sean Richardson, Gwen Mellor