Read here for an account from Politico of the adventures of Sheila Krumholz and Massie Ritsch, executive director of and communications director for Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), respectively, and their own party crashing activities at the Democratic and Republican conventions.

In the story, Krumolz recounts how she managed to get a ride with some lobbyists in an SUV to a “financial literacy” luncheon in Denver, and how they also helped her get into the party:

Krumholz’s most extensive look inside the lobbyist-lawmaker bubble came when she set out for a “financial literacy event,” sponsored by the Financial Services Roundtable.

The title seemed a fishy front for a classic meet-and-greet between the advocacy and political classes. The event was to take place at the Denver restaurant Mile High Station – and was for credentialed guests only.

Krumholz decided to crash it, if she could.

Locating it, though, was her first challenge. The first cabby she hailed had no idea where Mile High Station was, so she got out of the cab.

The second cabby promised he’d gotten her close, within a few blocks. But when Krumholz couldn’t find it, she learned from a local police officer that she was still about a dozen blocks away.

Frustrated but determined, she cast her gaze to the street for a third cabby when an SUV carrying two lobbyists stopped to ask the same policeman for directions to the Roundtable event.

The neighborly officer gave them directions, then suggested they give Krumholz a ride since she was headed to the same place.

One of the lobbyists sized Krumholz up and silently buckled back up in the SUV. But the other called her over and told her to climb in.

On the way to Mile High Station, the trio got turned around a few more times and got to know each other. When Krumholz divulged her job, she was surprised when the friendlier of the two lobbyists exclaimed, “I love that site.”

After finally arriving at the restaurant, Krumholz still wasn’t sure how she was going to get past the credential table with its neat array of acceptable name tags – none with her name on it.

As she pulled out her business card, complete with her organization and title, the friendlier lobbyist said quietly, “Stick with me. I’ll see if I can get you in.” She did.

Once inside, Krumholz said she didn’t see people who appeared to be consumers in need of financial literacy lessons. But she did spot several members of Congress, including Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and Rep. Paul E. Kanjorksi (D-Pa.), chairman of a House Financial Services subcommittee, and more than 50 or so lobbyists and Roundtable association members sidling up to the open bar for Bloody Marys and mimosas.

The pitch to lawmakers helped explain the event’s inscrutable title: Despite the housing slump, Congress didn’t need to pass new consumer protection regulations because the industry was already upgrading its own consumer financial literacy efforts.

It was an event not unlike many others that take place in Washington every day, albeit without a saloon décor. And one that complied with the new ethics laws, Krumholz concluded.

“The more things change,” she said, “the more they stay the same.”

CRP also blogged earlier on the event.

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