• The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) celebrates the new year with a “business council” kickoff breakfast featuring Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.),  Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.), Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), Rep. Ron Klein (D-Fla.), Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), and Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). Of these, The Cook Report rates Braley, Klein, Cardoza, and Murphy as being in races that could turn competitive.
• Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-S.C.) will be hosting a fundraiser this weekend for his leadership PAC, the Republican Majority Fund, at The Breakers, a resort featuring golf, a spa, and of course, the beach, in Palm Beach, Florida. Chambliss was the focus earlier this year of an investigative report by Propublica, which showed how he has used the PAC to fund his golf habit. The PAC already spent $48,283 at The Breakers early last year on “golf/catering,” and “prizes,” according to expenditure reports filed with the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC). Click here to see a list of the parties we have on file benefitting Chambliss and Republican Majority Fund.

For reporters watching hot races: on Dec. 2, soon after Thanksgiving break, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is hosting a “winter reception” at its headquarters; the ask is $15,000 for a host, $10,000 for a “PAC Patron, and $5,000 for a “PAC friend.” (This follows its fall gala back in September and its summer solstice celebration in June–apparently the party committee is quite in tune with the changing seasons.)

The following week, on Dec. 8, the DCCC will host an update and race review–no charge or specific lawmakers listed for that one. But a clue comes from an earlier reception for “DCCC frontliners” on September 10, which features numerous lawmakers deemed vulnerable by the Cook Political Report.

So far the DCCC is winning the money chase against its Republican counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee, raising $44.4 million to the NRCC’s $27.2 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

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

Congressional Democrats are finding a way around President Barack Obama’s ban on lobbyist contributions, reports Jonathan Martin in Politico today.

Obama is speaking at a dinner tonight at the Mandarin Hotel for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). In the past this dinner has brought in big lobbyist bucks. But because Obama will be there, the committees won’t be taking lobbyist contributions for the event.

However, lobbyist money will be welcome the next morning at a $5,000-per-head “issues” conference featuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and a variety of committee chairmen. (We don’t have copies of these invitations in our database. If you have them, please send them to us here.)

Reports Politico:

Obama refuses to appear at fundraising events where lobbyists are allowed to contribute money, so the Democrats can’t collect lobbyists’ cash at Thursday night’s dinner. But since the president won’t be at the morning-after event, congressional Democrats will be free to collect the lobbying dollars then that they couldn’t take the night before.

This seems the very definition of violating the spirit of the lobbyist contribution ban–and the piece quotes some anonymous Democratic sources saying it’s Obama’s fault for not reining the Dems in.

Yet at the same time, more anonymous Democratic insiders are quoted griping because the White House won’t help raise lobbyist cash. One says Obama should be leaning on surrogate organizations to send out fundraising alerts. Another points out that the lobbyist money ban puts the committees in a bind:

“It’s kind of like going to Los Angeles and then excluding the entertainment industry,” said a senior Democrat. “Well, then you’re going to have a lame event.”

Seems like Obama’s getting the worst of both worlds right now. He’s getting the blame both because his lobbyist money ban is too weak–and because he won’t pull out the stops to get lobbyist money.

President Barack Obama told the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee not to solicit contributions from lobbyists. However, at least one lobbyist, and most likely many more, received an invite to an upcoming fundraiser featuring the president, reports the National Journal’s “Under the Influence” blog:

[T]he Carville-DCCC invitation was sent to members of HillaryClinton.com’s online community. Hillary Clinton had no prohibition on taking K Street-connected money when she was running against Obama for the Democratic nomination.

As the National Journal said: “Oops!”