Since the cancellation of the first two weeks of the NBA season—then another two weeks—many have expressed their anger and disappointment at the league. If a deal is not reached by tomorrow, the deadline imposed by the NBA for the players’ union to accept its offer, much of the season may be lost.

There is one group of fans who may have cause for frustration beyond not seeing their favorite teams play. That would be members of Congress, who use NBA games as a opportunity to fundraise for their campaigns.

NBA Commissioner David Stern

Going back to 2008, there have been at least 45 fundraisers at NBA games, all but four of which were held at the Verizon Center, home to the Washington Wizards, according to an analysis of Party Time records. Right now, perhaps because of the lockout, there are no upcoming NBA fundraisers on the schedule. Rep. Albio Sires, D-N.J., hosted the most recent one: a Boston Celtics versus Wizards game in April. (Since Party Time invitations come from lobbyist sources, as opposed to official reports, there could be events scheduled that are not in the database.)

Members of Congress sometimes hold these swanky events back in their home states. Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., held one at the Prudential Center, home to the New Jersey Nets, in April. Just in case donors weren’t sure, the invitation clarified that “Food & Beverages will be served in Luxury Box.” Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., included a Phoenix Suns game in his “All Sports Weekend” fundraiser back in March.

Fundraising at NBA games, as with other sporting events, is a very good way for lawmakers to bring in thousands of dollars per supporter. The ticket prices on invitations ranged from $500 for an individual ticket to $5,000 for a PAC to be named a ‘host.’ In federal reports, there is no way to track how much a particular politician rakes in at a specific game–contributions reported later to the Federal Election Commission do not indicate where the money was raised.

What can politicians do if a deal is not reached? There’s always college hoops. Plenty of fundraisers—at least 26—have been centered around the NCAA Tournament, known as March Madness, in March and early April, according to an analysis of Party Time files. These events include both watch parties held at bars and luxury suites at the games. Eleven such events were held earlier this year alone, when part of the tournament was played at the Verizon Center. Another nine congressional fundraisers have been scheduled at Georgetown Hoyas games, also played at the Verizon Center, over the years. Former Rep. Dan Maffei, D-N.Y., whose old upstate New York district encompasses fierce Georgetown rival Syracuse University, scheduled fundraisers in 2009 and 2010 when the Orange came to the District.

Hockey is also an option. So far this season, three congressmen (Sander Levin, D-Mich., Sires, and Mike Quigley, D-Ill.) have booked fundraisers to watch the Washington Capitals play. The invitation to Quigley’s event, scheduled for Nov. 29, features a photo of the congressman hoisting the Stanley Cup when his favorite team, the Chicago Blackhawks, won in 2010. This will be the fourth consecutive season that the congressman is hosting a hockey moneymaker at the Verizon Center.

It is also still NFL season and lawmakers have planned at least three fundraisers at football games this year. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. will be having a leadership PAC fundraiser at FedEx Field on Dec. 11 when the Washington Redskins take on the New England Patriots. On August 25, Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., hosted one at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for a preseason matchup between the Ravens and Redskins. On Oct. 9, Tom Rooney, D-Fla. had a fundraiser at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh featuring the Steelers and Tennessee Titans. Politicians have even held tailgating fundraisers.

In the spring and summer, baseball has also been a popular option for legislators’ fundraisers. Two such events stand out. In 2009, the Leadership PAC for Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa,. hosted an exclusive event at the Philadelphia Phillies’ spring training complex, including a brunch with players and broadcasters and a private tour with the team owner (tickets could be had for $2,500 or $5,000). In 2008, James McGovern, D-Mass., offered a tour of Fenway Park to go along with a Boston Red Sox game. Tickets went for $5,000 and $2500 for PACs and $2,300 for individuals.

Finally, there’s always tennis, at least for one lawmaker. Congressman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, has used the US Open in Queens, N.Y. to hold events each of the past two summers, attempting to raise $2,500-per-head for his leadership PAC.

If the NBA season ends up being canceled altogether, members of Congress will be sure to find other sporting events—or other attractive forms of entertainment—to raise money.

Several lawmakers are sending out invitations to the most festive of May holidays, Cinco de Mayo. 22 Democratic representatives are listed as invitees for six upcoming Cinco de Mayo events in the Party Time database. One fundraiser in particular, the “Reception Celebrating Cinco de Mayo” on May 3, lists 19 members of Congress as invitees. The scheduled event is to support the Congressional Hispanic Caucus/ Building our Leadership Diversity PAC (CHC BOLD).

Three of the invitees to the CHC BOLD event are also hosting fundraisers of their own. Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas, the current chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, will hold a “Cinco de Mayo Birthday Celebration” at the 21 Century Townhouse on May 5. Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., is also planning a “Cinco de Mayo Celebration” on May 4 at the UPS Townhouse. The invitation suggests that for a contribution of $250 an invitee will earn the title of “amigo”.

Rep. Joe Pastor, D-Ariz., will be celebrating the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5 at the offices of the lobbying firm Dutko Group at 412 First Street SE. If Rep. Pastor decides to attend all the Cinco De Mayo functions for which he is a featured guest then his event would be the last in a three fundraiser whirlwind for the congressman who is listed on the invitation for Rep. Tim Ryan’s, D-Ohio, “Second Annual Tequila Tasting” as well as the CHC BOLD event. Also, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., has scheduled a fiesta on May 5 at Lounge 201 and Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., is holding a “Cuatro de Mayo Party” on May 4 at the Strategic Healthcare Townhouse at 230 Second Street SE.

In addition to the events held by several Democrats, the Party Time database has a Cinco de Mayo event invitation for a single Republican. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., will be starting things off early on May 5 with a “Cinco de Mayo Breakfast” at Tortilla Coast. Interestingly the Gosar event is the only Cinco de Mayo event that Party Time is aware of that will be taking place at a Mexican restaurant.

Part of a series: Fundraising Spots Around the Capitol

Unlike many other Capitol Hill townhouses — which members of Congress can use for free or rent for a relatively small sum — congressional candidates shell out $1750 to hold a fundraiser at the Twenty First Century Group house.

The outfit is one of 26 lobbying firms that use a space around the Capitol for fundraisers. There are about 126 townhouses and offices located blocks from the Capitol building, 70 percent of which are the homes or offices of lobbyists and lobbying clients. Most of these locations are among 84 historic townhouses identified in an analysis of Party Time’s database. [See the embeddable map: Where the sites are and who holds the most events]

Though the owner of the house and CEO of the group is former Texas Republican Congressman Jack Fields, the group is advertised as bipartisan and the vast majority of its fundraisers appear to be for Democrats. Invitations to at least 130 fundraisers at the location have been sent out since Party Time began collecting invitations in 2008.

Just like the Associated General Contractors property, the house’s convenient location makes it easy for lawmakers and lobbyists to attend many gatherings on busy weekday nights. Three blocks south of the Capitol, it’s a short walk from three Democratic mainstays: the Democratic National Committee, the National Democratic Club — the left aisle’s private club — and the fundraising firm Erickson & Company.

The lobbying shop counts Verizon, Time Warner and the Telecommunications Development Fund, a venture capital fund, as clients, reflecting Fields’ expertise with telecom issues: he rose to become chair of the subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance in the mid-1990s.

But the face of the group’s fundraisers appears to be lobbyist Jocelyn Hong, a former Democratic aide, whose name headlined at least 65 invitations to fundraisers at the townhouse since Party Time began record-keeping. She would not comment on the fundraisers, saying that it is company policy not to talk to the media.

The firm plays host to many Democrats that have sided with Verizon and Time Warner. Back in May, Free Press reported that phone and cable lobbyists were pressing Democrats to sign on to a letter opposing the Federal Communication Commission’s move to reclassify the Internet as a telecommunications service, which would give it more regulatory authority over Internet lines.

Among 73 Democrats signing that letter are members who have planned at least four events at the house over the years: Energy and Commerce Committee member Baron Hill, D-Ind., Joe Baca, D-Calif.,  and Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo. The letter was circulated by Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, who received a $1,000 contribution from Fields last election, the only Democrat he gave to on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is responsible for telecom issues, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Hong has given only $750 to him over the years.

Two days after the letter was dated, one of the signers, House Progressive Caucus member Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, planned an evening reception fundraiser at the house headlined by Hong, asking for contributions as high as $2,500. A week before the event, her campaign reported paying the lobby shop $1,750 for catering, records show.

Fields donated to three of the top-ranking GOP members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, responsible for telecom issues, for the midterm elections. Ranking member Joe Barton, R-Texas, got the most among committee members ($2,000) while two other top members competing for the chairmanship, Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., and John Shimkus, R-Ill., also benefited, as did Greg Walden, R-Ore., a former broadcasting executive who took a leave of absence from the committee to join the House GOP leadership. Barton planned a “Private PAC Lunch!” at the townhouse last year and he, Stearns and Shimkus have said they oppose FCC regulation of the Internet.

But far from focusing on Energy Committee members, there is a broad mix of Democrats planning events at this house from different caucuses, including the Progressive Caucus, the conservative Blue Dogs, the pro-growth New Democrats, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

In fact, the members of the Appropriations Committee, who allocate federal dollars for agencies and earmarks, lead all others, invitations records show. The lobby shop’s two biggest clients have business before the powerful panel.

Twenty First Century’s biggest client this year — Manatee County in coastal Florida — hired Fields and co. to secure federal dollars for projects in a slew of appropriations bills, including infrastructure improvements to its port, lobbying reports show. The port won over $12 million for projects with the help of Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla. who does not appear to have been honored at the townhouse but did get a $500 donation from Hong this election, CRP data shows. The other client, the Telecommunication Development Fund, hired the group to lobby on the telecom portion of the federal budget, as well as rural broadband and spectrum issues, according to lobbying reports.

The three top all-time beneficiaries of Hong’s campaign contributions serve on the Appropriations panel: Reps. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., a Blue Dog booted from his seat on Nov. 2, Ed Pastor, D-Ariz. and Mike Honda, D-Calif., both in the Progressive Caucus. The three have received $2,250, $3,550 and $2,000 from the lobbyist, respectively, and all have planned fundraisers at the townhouse this year.

In all, of 14 office-seekers who Hong gave over $7,000 to for the midterms, half sit on the powerful committee, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Political insiders also looking to celebrate Cinco de Mayo today might consider the following political fundraisers around Washington tonight:

• Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., will be hosting a fiesta at UPS Townhouse tonight (nothing captures the bright colors of an authentic Cinco de Mayo celebartion like Big Brown) where political action committee hosts can contribute $5,000 and individuals can contribute $250. The invite notes that there will be LIVE Musica!
• Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., will be hosting a Cinco de Mayo Celebration at the offices of lobbying firm Dutko Worldwide (they’re helping corporations spend other people’s money to invest in Latin America, among other places) with cuisine provided by the Oaxaca Restaurant in Phoenix. Political action committees can contribute $1,000, while individuals can contribute $500.
• Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., will host a Cinco de Mayo celebration for his Wyoming Values Political Action Committee at the La Loma Mexican Restaurant in Washington where political action committee hosts can pay $1,000 and individuals can pay $100 to attend.
• Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., will be hosting a fundraiser at Lounge 201, where hosts can contribute $5,000 and individuals can contribute $500.

One lawmaker couldn’t actually wait until the fifth of May to celebrate the fifth of May. Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., hosted a Cinco de Mayo celebration last night at the Capitol Hill Club. He didn’t list a contribution amount.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 and is NOT a celebration of Mexican Independence Day.

To find themed invites like Cinco de Mayo using Party Time, type in your search terms into the Partyfinder at the top of the page under the “Entertainment Type” drop-down category.

Jumping off from USA Today reporter Fredreka Schouten’s reporting last week on fundraising at ritzy locales, here are some more upcoming fundraising parties that are taking place way outside the beltway.

Rep. Joe Crowley of New York has two different weekends listed for his “I Love NYC” weekend fundraiser, May 1-3 and June 12-14. California Rep. Loretta Sanchez also has an NYC weekend in the works, March 13, 15.

California Rep. Ellen Tauscher is charging $2,500 for PACs and $1,000 for individuals to attend a weekend retreat at the Inn at Perry Cabin on Maryland’s Eastern shore.

Rep. Jim DeMint from South Carolina is hosting a “family weekend and golf outing” at the Fazio Harbor Course at Wild Dunes. There will be lots of golf, of course, but also plenty of food and an awards ceremony to boot. This event is a fundraiser for a joint committee–the proceeds are split according to complicated rules between DeMint’s Senate 2010 campaign and his leadership PAC, the Senate Conservatives Fund PAC.

For sports lovers, specifically Arizona sports lovers, Rep. Ed Pastor has his 17th annual “All Sports Weekend” March 20-22. This includes two days of golf, a Phoenix Suns basketball game, Spring Training and all meals. But–your $3,000 doesn’t cover your hotel and airfare. That’s extra.  And, if you read the fine print, you also find that “Due to ticket limitation and rising costs on some events, we may not be able to accommodate guests.” Hmm.

If quail hunting is your style, North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler is going on one March 13-14 at the Wynfield Plantation in Albany, Georgia. Says the invite, “We will be hunting off jeep with a guide and dogs. This is my favorite event of the season and I do hope that you will join me.”

(Thanks to Sunlight Foundation intern Tim Wiseman for ferreting these out).