Motion Picture Association of America Chairman Chris Dodd set off a firestorm of criticism last week when he suggested that Hollywood would withhold campaign money from President Obama and lawmakers who don’t toe the Hollywood line on online piracy.

Losing support of the entertainment industry would not be insignificant for the president: In 2011, DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg gave $2 million to Priorities USA, the super PAC backing Obama. Another major bankroller is Harvey Weinstein, co-founder of Miramax Films, who along with Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour last August co-hosted a $71,600-a-couple fundraiser for Obama at his New York home.

But so far at least, Party Time hasn’t detected any slowdown in the entertainment industry’s enthusiasm for the president, despite the White House’s decision to put the brakes on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Just a few days before the White House raised concerns about the legislation, which is being enthusiastically backed by the entertainment industry, Obama was raising funds at  the New York City  home of director Spike Lee.

In addition, Party Time records show a Feb. 7 Runway to Win fundraiser scheduled for the Obama Victory Fund 2012. Hosts for the event include: Wintour, actress Scarlet Johansson,  hip-hop moguls Sean Combs and Russell Simmons, singer Beyonce, and fashion designers Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs and Vera Wang. Party Time records also show a Jan. 9 reception fundraiser in DC featuring featuring singer-songwriter Sarah Bareilles. Both the fashion and music industries support SOPA.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, the SOPA debate has set off a $100 million lobbying war. Both the entertainment companies who back SOPA and the tech giants who oppose it have lined up blue-chip lobbyists who are regulars on the Party Time circuit.

Former Rep. Victor Fazio, D-Calif., now a lobbyist at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, represents AT& T, a proponent of SOPA. He was one of the hosts at a dinner fundraiser benefiting Democrats Win Seats, the leadership PAC of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., a SOPA supporter and the Democratic Party’s national chair. Reps. Karen Bass, D-Calif and Ted Deutch D-Fla., both SOPA supporters, and Reps. Adam Smith, D-Wash., and Bruce Braley, SOPA opponents, were listed among those scheduled to attend. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Senate Judiciary Committee member and one of the four co-sponsors of PIPA, has had several  fundraisers featuring lobbyists from tApple (has not formally stated a position on SOPA), the Motion Picture Association of America, Time Warner and Time Warner Cable.

And as we’ve previously told you in this space, companies backing SOPA have held several fundraisers benefitting Reps. Howard Berman, Adam Schiff, Joe Baca and Mary Bono Mack of California .

Not to be outdone, the tech industry, which sent a powerful message Jan. 18 about its distaste for SOPA on popular websites such as  Google, Wikipedia and Craigslist, has been well represented on the Party Time circuit.

Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., a member of the Judiciary Committee is one of the 27 co-sponsors of SOPA; on the day of the online protest, he issued a press release withdrawing his support, saying his constituents have “made clear” their opposition to legislation.   Alex Vogel of Mehlman, Vogel and Castagnetti, who once worked for then-Republican Senate Leader Bill Frist, was one of the four hosts for Griffin’s reception in early December of last year. Vogel clients include CC Media Holdings, eBay Inc., Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and Yahoo! Inc.  Yahoo! and eBay are opponents of SOPA. Also hosting the fundraiser were other lobbyists representing a range of communications interests, including some on both sides of the SOPA debate:  Marc Lampkin, who represents AT&T, Microsoft Corporation, Sony Corporation and Visa Inc. Kathryn Lehman, who represents Google Inc. and Verizon Communications, and Susan Hirschmann, who represents Comcast Corporation, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Recording Industry Association of America; US Chamber of Commerce and Visa Inc.

Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas, the chairman National Republican Senatorial Committee and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee member, is another former backer of anti-piracy legislation who shifted his position.  Cornyn’s Alamo PAC had two fundraisers featuring a lobbyist from Clear Channel, Verizon Communications and AT&T, all supporters of SOPA. But after the online protest, the Texan took to  Facebook to share misgivings about the legislation those companies are backing.“Better to get this done right rather than fast and wrong. Stealing content is theft, plain and simple, but concerns about unintended damage to the internet and innovation in the tech sector require a more thoughtful balance, which will take more time,” Cornyn wrote.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., also once supported the anti-piracy bill but now opposes it. According to Party Time records, he had a fundraiser hosted by lobbyists Doyle Barlett and Becky Relic. Barlett represents clients such as Comcast Corporation, eBay, and the US Chamber of Commerce. Relic represents eBay. Another supporter-turned-opponent, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., had a fundraiser in which three of the hosts are lobbyists who represent Comcast, National Cable and Telecommunications Association, Time Warner Cable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

There are a few lawmakers who have not formally expressed a stand on SOPA. One example is House Oversight Committee member Rep. Ed Towns, D-N.Y. At his 25th Annual Taste of New York fundraising event,  Towns had lobbyists representing both sides of the SOPA debate as hosts. Paul Braitwaite, a lobbyist for the Podesta Group represents Google, Time Warner Cable and the National Association of Broadcasters is listed as one of the hosts. The list of hosts for Towns event also included Roger Mott with Verizon Communications, Lyndon Boozer of AT&T, Matt Gelman of Microsoft and Jesse McCollum, a lobbyist with the Eris Group representing the Comcast Corporation.

With its “majority makers” getaway this weekend and a dinner Monday night, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is continuing its streak of fundraisers.

“Majority maker” is a term the NRSC uses for  individual donors who give the maximum $30,400 to the party committee.

Last year’s majority makers retreat was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We know considerably less about this year’s getaway, except that it’s on Clapboard Island, a tiny island just off the coast of Portland, Maine and is hosted by NRSC chairman, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

The Texas lawmaker has been fundraising for the NRSC a lot of late, including a June 18 trip to Buffalo, which reportedly raised more than $250,000, and a June 22 “Judiciary Roundtable.” Three days later, he was out at a Colorado country club fundraiser to support Senate candidate Jane Norton, which helped her second quarter numbers. The NRSC and Norton planned to split the proceeds, the Wall Street Journal reported. Norton, who claims she raised  $900,000 in the second quarter, is vying for Sen. Michael Bennet’s seat but is being challenged from the right by Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck.

In all, the NRSC has raked in $64 million this election cycle, including a boost from Cornyn’s campaign chest and joint fundraising committee. The Cornyn Majority Committee donated nearly $960,000 while his campaign gave $60,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The NRSC’s biggest contributors are business interests, topped by Elliott Management’s $365,000 and Goldman Sachs’ $222,000, according to CRP.

Two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the same committee that began the confirmation process for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan Monday, were featured speakers of a June 22nd “Judiciary Roundtable” fundraiser benefiting the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, were listed on the invitation for the event, which was limited to 30 seats at $500-$1,000 per person or political action group. Those who gave $15,000 a year to the NRSC could attend for free.

While this event isn’t included in Party Time’s search for invitations by committee, since Cornyn and Hatch were not the beneficiaries of the fundraiser, there have been at least eight other campaign fundraisers for  the 19 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee between today and May 10 – the day President Obama announced Kagan as his nominee. They include:

• A breakfast this morning at for Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Tickets cost $1,000 per PAC and $500 per person.
• A June 24th lunch for Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., at Charlie Palmer Steak to benefit Wyden’s Senate campaign. Tickets cost $500-$5,000.
• A June 22nd reception for Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at The Monocle Restaurant. The numerous hosts listed  included the American Health Care Association PAC. Tickets ranged from $500-$2,500.
• A May 20th breakfast for Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. Tickets ranged from $500-$1,000.
• A May 19th “Margaritas and Mariachi” at the National Republican Senatorial Committee offices for Sen. Cornyn’s ALAMO PAC. Hosts include the American Society of Anesthesiologists PAC, the Home Depot PAC, and the Verizon Good Gov’t Fund. Tickets cost $250-$2,500.
• A May 19th $1,000 per person “Bagels with Ben” fundraiser for Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.
• A May 13th fundraising dinner hosted by Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., honoring Republican politicians currently running for Senate. They include Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt now running for Senate, Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk now running for the Illinois Senate, former Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton now running for Colorado Senator, and former Representative and Bush cabinet member Rob Portman now running for Ohio Senate. Also listed was Senate Minority Leader Mitch MCconnell, R-Ky. Tickets cost $3,000-$5,000 and benefited the Road to Senate Victory Committee 2010.
• A May 12th reception at for Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa. Tickets cost $1,000-$5,000, and the event was billed as the final event before Specter’s Democratic primary, which he would go on to lose to Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak. Hosts included lobbyists Shannon Finley and Tony Podesta.

Elham Khatami co-authored this report.

Since the beginning of 2010 through April, at least ten senators who sit on the Banking and Agriculture Committees are listed as beneficiaries of fundraisers hosted by lobbyists who have pressed Congress on financial reform issues. Both committees have recently worked on a bill to overhaul the financial regulatory system, which will likely be debated on the Senate floor next week.

According to Sunlight Foundation’s Party Time database, the fundraisers ranged from a “pre-St.Patrick’s Day” reception for Banking Committee member Jon Tester, D-Mont., on March 16 that asked for $100 to $1,000 in contributions, to a breakfast for Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, of the Agriculture Committee on March 10 that asked for contributions ranging from $500 to $2,000. Grassley’s breakfast also featured special guest, Banking Committee member Robert Bennett, R-Utah.

Tester’s fundraiser was hosted by 28 people, at least two of whom have disclosed lobbying on financial reform this year: Mitchell Feuer who represents Goldman Sachs, the Citigroup Management Corporation, Barclays PLC, Genworth Financial, Visa U.S.A., the Appraisal Institute, FX Alliance LLC, the Farm Credit Council and the LCH.Clearnet Group, and Thompson Reuters; and Shannon Finley who represents the Edison Electric Institute, Rent A Center and the Home Depot.

The Grassley breakfast was hosted by two JP Morgan Chase & Co. lobbyists, Nathan Gatten and Steve Patterson. Both were listed on a lobbying disclosure form for the first quarter of 2010; the company reported spending $1.5 million to raise issues on Capitol Hill related to credit card transaction fees, the modification of home mortgage loans, the regulatory oversight of bonds, short-selling practices, and use of derivatives to hedge risk.

In addition to raising money for the beneficiaries, the lobbyists hosting the events also had a chance for face time with other influential lawmakers. In fact, at a fundraiser today, three powerful members of the agriculture committee–Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., are listed as honorary hosts of a noon fundraiser for the Sen. George LeMieux’s, R-Fla, Protect America’s Future Political Action Committee.

The event also includes two hosts: Scott Reed who represents the Ben Barnes Group, a Texas state lobbying shop run by an individual who the Sunlight Reporting Group previously identified as the nation’s largest donor and bundler of campaign contributions at the federal level, and Kirsten Chadwick who represents the American Insurance Association, the Ford Motor Company, Mutual of Omaha, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Business Roundtable, and UnitedHealth Group. Both Reed and Chadwick, who was once a special assistant to President George W. Bush, have lobbied Congress in the first quarter of 2010 on financial reform issues.

The invitation to LeMieux’s fundraiser asks for a contribution of $2,500 for a PAC host, $1,000 for an individual host, $1,000 for a PAC and $250 for an individual for the “reception-style luncheon” at the National Republican Senatorial Committee to raise money for the PAC which “supports candidates who embody the values of fiscal conservatism, smaller government and strong national security.”

We contacted Sens. McConnell, Cornyn, and Grassley for comment. Sen. Cornyn’s spokesman said that the lunch was a National Republican Senatorial Committee event and referred us to that office for a comment. The spokesperson did add that the senator was in a budget mark up all day and that it was unclear if he would be present at the event.

Asked for comment about the nature of Grassley’s attendance at the fundraiser, Jill Kozeny, Sen. Grassley’s Communications Director, said “Senator Grassley attends events, like this one, to raise campaign funds for Republicans. His participation is transparent. For himself, he accepts donations that are legal and have no strings attached.”

We also staked out the building where the fundraiser was held, but didn’t see any of the senators come in or out. Some members of Congress have canceled fundraisers hosted by financial industry lobbyists and firms.

Here is a larger list of recent fundraisers for senators Party Time has found that were or will include financial reform lobbyists:

* Bob Bennett, R-Utah., Banking Committee, March 4 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $500-$2,000. Lobbyists listed: Ray Cole, David Lugar.

* Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Agriculture Committee, March 3 fundraiser; February 24 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $250-$5,000. Lobbyists listed: Gordon Taylor; David Jones.

* Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Agriculture Committee, March 10 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $500-$2,000. Lobbyists listed: Nate Gatten, Steve Patterson.

* Mike Johanns, R-Neb., Banking and Agriculture Committees. Upcoming April 29 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $1,000-$1,500. Lobbyists listed: Charles Symington.

* Robert Menendez, D-N.J., Banking Committee, March 3 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $500-$2,500. Lobbyists listed: John D. Raffaelli, David Jones, Shannon Finley, Jim Gould.

* Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Banking Committee. March 17 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $1,000-$5,000. Lobbyists listed: Tony Podesta.

* Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Ranking member Banking Committee, March 11 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $1,000-$2,000. Lobbyists listed: Dan Crowley, James Walsh, Slade Gorton.

* Jon Tester, D-Mont., Banking Committee, March 16 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $100-$1,000. Lobbyists listed: Mitchell Feuer, Shannon Finley.

* John Thune, R-S.D., Agriculture Committee, February 23 fundraiser, Contribution Information: $1,000. Lobbyists listed: hosted at VISA offices. Lobbyist Listed: Tony Podesta.

* David Vitter, R-La., Banking Committee, March 11 fundraiser; March 10 fundraiser; Feb 23 fundraiser. Contribution Information: $1,000-$2,000. Lobbyists listed: Ray Cole, Kirk Blalock, Dan Gans, Rodney Hoppe.

Here’s how you can do what we did to find out if your lawmaker has met with lobbyists working on financial reform:

1. Search the Party Time database for your lawmaker for any recent invitations in 2010.

2. Open the PDF of the invitation and see if any “hosts” or “co-hosts” are listed. Not all hosts are registered lobbyists, but an awful lot are.

3. Search the House Lobbying Disclosure database for names that could be lobbyists. We used the tiered search to better refine what we were looking for. First we selected “Lobbyist Name” and typed in the names we were looking for (you have to enter them Last Name, First Name). In the second search bar we selected “Filing Year” 2010 and in the third search bar we selected “Issue Code” Banking. We’ll follow up with more searches in the days to come.

Unfortunately invitations in the Party Time database only represent a portion of the fundraising events that take place in Washington D.C. The database consists largely of events sent to us by anonymous sources, where we then strip off all possible identifying information. If you know of a fundraiser in D.C. or in your state, please consider uploading it to our anonymous upload system.

Sen. John Cornyn was scheduled as a “special guest” at a November 20 fundraiser for Rob Portman, also featuring former Secretary of State George Schultz. The day before he was listed at another Portman event, a dinner, featuring another former Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice.

Portman is running for an open seat in Ohio; Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has previously pledged that the NRSC would not spend money in contested primaries or open seat race. However, as we blogged earlier, Cornyn also showed up on a fundraiser for Arkansas Senate candidate Gilbert Baker, scheduled for Nov. 19–the same day as one of the Portman fundraisers. At the time, a spokesman said he was participating as a senator rather than as chairman of the committee.

(Josh Heath contributed to this post.)

From this report, it appears that the GOP firmament is lining up behind Arkansas Senate candidate Gilbert Baker, who is running in a hotly contested GOP primary. This is despite a promise from Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC) that the party would not get involved in primaries.

The AP got hold of  a fundraising invitation (not in our database yet) for November 19 at NRSC headquarters, that shows Cornyn as a host of the event, along with Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and David Vitter of Louisiana.

An NRSC spokesman told The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder that Cornyn is participating in the event in his personal capacity as a senator, not as chairman.

As the 2010 elections heat up, it will be interesting to see how fundraising invitations offer clues to other contested primary races, such as the one in my neighborhood pitting incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet against challenger Andrew Romonoff, as well as the battle between Sen. Arlen Specter and Joe Sestek in Pennsylvania.

(hat tip to Micah Sifry)

Lobbyists who represent pharmaceutical manufacturers and other health care interests will be hosting at least five planned fundraising parties for members of Congress today.

Jocelyn Hong, of the 21st Century Group, will be hosting two events–a lunch for Rep. Mark Schuaer (D-MI) and an evening reception for Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ).  Hong represents both Sanofi-Aventis and Schering-Plough.

There are two breakfasts and one dinner scheduled to take place today as well.  Patton Boggs’ lobbyists Ben Ginsberg, Ed Newberry, Darryl Nirenberg and Kevin O’Neil will be hosting Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) while  Cesar Conda and Manus Cooney will be entertaining Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) over breakfast.

Finally, Jeff MacKinnon, who represents Avantis, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Merck, will be hosting a Cafe 8 Dinner for Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA) at 6:30 pm.

In addition to today’s events, Steve Clark and Sam Geduldig (of Clark and Associates), who represent the likes of Ernst & Young and Barr Laboratories, held a dinner in Rep. Bill Posey’s (R-TX) honor last night at the Matchbox.

These six fundraisers–of the 16 total fundraisers featuring pharmaceutical lobbyist hosts we have in our database for the month of September, come on the heels of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s (PhRMA) rollout of a $150 million advertising campaign in support of the Baucus health care bill says Duff Wilson of the New York Times.

The drug industry’s trade group plans to roll out a series of television advertisements in coming weeks specifically to support Senator Max Baucus’s health care overhaul proposal, according to an industry official involved in the planning.

The move would be a follow-up to the deal that drug makers struck in June with Mr. Baucus [and the White House.]

President Obama has cited the deal with the group as signifying a new era of cooperation. But some critics say the advertising fund could be wielded against alternative approaches to health care legislation.

The industry’s support for the Baucus plan, critics argue, is a direct result of both Sen. Baucas’ and President Obama’s public support for an individual mandate. (See the text of President Obama’s speech and Senator Baucus’ “Framework for comprehensive health reform”)

A plan with an individual mandate and no public option is, as the Washington Examiner writes, the “Holy Grail” of reform for the health care lobby.

To see clients for lobbyists hosting events click on individuals’ names: Steve Clark, Ben Ginsberg, Ed Newberry, Darryl Nirenberg, Kevin O’Neil, Sam Geduldig, Cesar Conda, Manus Cooney, Jocelyn Hong, Jeff MacKinnon.

This post is first in a series on September fundraising efforts and the industries behind them.

If you’re still in town, there’s a relatively cheap opportunity to schmooze chiefs of staff for several powerful GOP senators tomorrow at a “Dog Days of Summer Cookout” benefiting the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s offices.

The cost is just $100 per individual–a bargain compared to most fundraisers we document here at Party Time–and the attire is casual.

The chief-of-staff lineup includes Jackie Cottrell, who works for Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS); Rick Dearborn, for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL); Beth Jafari, for Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX); Billy Piper, for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-TX); T.A. Hawks,  for Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS); Kyle Ruckert, for Sen. David Vitter (R-LA); Michael Schwartz, for Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK); Ryan Thompson, for Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK); David Young, for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA); and Matt Zabel, for Sen. John Thune (R-SD).