For freshman members of Congress looking to expand their influence in the legislature establishing a leadership PAC is a well-travelled route. Of the 12 freshmen Republicans in the Senate, nine have formed leadership PACs (although four of those Republicans did so during their terms as House Members). Only Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., have yet to form a leadership PAC. Party Time has received invitations to several events benefitting these various PACs, two of which are scheduled for this week.

Tomorrow evening, Rand Paul’s, R-Ky., leadership PAC (RAND PAC), will be at the offices of R.B. Murphy and Associates for cocktails and dinner. The fundraiser will be hosted by a number of lobbyists and PACs including Hunter Bates, who was once chief of staff to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The Senate Minority Leader himself will also be at the dinner. This is the first event invitation in the Party Time records to feature both Kentucky senators since Paul was elected.  Suggested contributions for the RAND PAC event run from $500 to $2,500.

The following night of June 29, Kelly PAC, the leadership PAC of Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., will be holding a Defense Industry Dinner at Bobby Van’s Grill. Details on the invitation are few so it is unknown which representatives of the “defense industry” will be present, but Sen. Ayotte has been building her national defense gravitas since arriving in the Senate in January.  Her leadership PAC, established in February, has been holding regular events since May. Listed contributions range from $500 for an individual to $2,000 for a PAC co-host.

*Correction: This post was updated after it was discovered that McConnell hosted a fundraiser for Paul during his senatorial campaign.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is hosting a fundraising reception and dinner tonight for GOP Senate candidate and tea party favorite Rand Paul, who is in a close race with Bluegrass State Attorney General Jack Conway.

McConnell and Paul have had a prickly public relationship, with McConnell backing the establishment candidate (and hosting fundraisers) in the primary, and urging Paul to stay off national television after the candidate criticized the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

On the invitation to tonight’s event, McConnell “cordially invites” donors to attend the reception, where the suggested donation is $2,000-per-PAC and $1,000-per-person, and dinner, where PACs can be “Grand Hosts” for $5,000 or host the event for $4,000. The backdrop is the Monocle, a Capitol Hill eatery frequently used for fundraisers.

After vowing not to accept money from lawmakers who voted for the 2008 bank bailout, Paul’s campaign announced a change of heart last month. McConnell was one of many lawmakers to host a Paul fundraiser at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Paul has been mixing grassroots-type fundraisers with high-roller events. On a stop in New York City earlier this month, he held $1,000-per-plate event at the Harvard Club with Steve Forbes, then joined supporters at Webstar Hall, where the minimum contribution was $20. Paul’s campaign has also relied heavily on online fundraising, making use of one-day “moneybomb” drives, which netted him nearly $1 million over just three days during his primary bid.

In the second quarter, Paul raised $1.1 million to Conway’s $1.4 million, though Conway injected $400,000 of his own money. In total, Conway has brought in $3.7 million to Paul’s $3.6 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

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.

After 29 years as the senator from Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter was voted out by Democratic primary voters yesterday in favor of a two-term House member, Rep. Joe Sestak, who currently represents the state’s 7th congressional district. Sestak will now face Republican and former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey for the seat in November.

Five Hundred miles away in the Kentucky senate race, Republican tea party candidate Rand Paul bested Trey Grayson, the secretary of state who won the endorsement of Sen. Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate. Paul, the son of Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, will face Democrat Jack Conway, the state’s attorney general, for the seat in November.

In Arkansas, moderate Democrat Blanche Lincoln must continue to fight for her Senate seat, as results from the state’s Democratic primary have found no clear majority against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter for the party’s nomination. The two will face-off in a runoff election on June 8th.

Other notable results:

Democrat Mark Critz won a special election for the open seat of late Congressman John Murtha for the remaining seven months of Murthas term for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. Critz recently held a fundraiser at Lounge 201 in Washington D.C., according to Party Times list of invites. In attendance were Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, and the Pennsylvania Democratic Delegation.

Democrat U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, of the 11th congressional district of Pennsylvania, moves on to battle his Republican challenger, Hazleton, Pa., mayor Lou Barletta in the November ballot. According to Party Time invites, Kanjorski has held eight fundraisers since the beginning of the year, the latest was a May 12 fundraiser at the Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, where for $5,000, people could host the event and for $1,000 they could attend. There is only one invite in Party Times files for Lou Barletta, an October 2008 fundraiser at the Capital Grille.

Republican Congressman Charlie Dent easily defeated tea party challenger Mat Benol and will face Democrat John Callahan for Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District in November. Since January, Dent has held 10 fundraisers, according to Party Time invites. He also has a fundraiser planned for May 25th, to celebrate his Big 50th Birthday with special guests. For $1,500, political action committees can participate and for $750 individuals can wish him a happy half-century.

Republican Rick Crawford won the GOP nominee for the 1st congressional district of Arkansas against Princella Smith, who at 26, hoped to become the youngest member of congress. Crawford faces a Democratic challenger who won’t be decided until a June 8th run-off election. Contenders will likely include Tim Wooldridge and Chad Causey.

The candidates for the Kentucky Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Jim Bunning are campaigning down to the wire a day ahead of the Kentucky primary on Tuesday.

On the Republican side, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson and ophthalmologist Rand Paul, have raised about $2.7 million each, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Grayson has about $820,000 remaining, while Rand Paul, the son of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, has about $169,000.

Grayson has the support of Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky’s other Senator and the top Senate Republican, as well as former 2008 presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. Meanwhile, Paul has the support of tea party activists, former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and Sen. Jim Bunning, who announced in July 2009 that he was dropping out of the race due to difficulties raising funds and conflicts with McConnell.

On the Democratic side, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway and Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo are duking it out. Conway has the most funding at more than $2.6 million, while Mongiardo has raised about $2 million.

Party Time has three fundraisers for Republican candidate Trey Grayson on file. The latest was a breakfast in late February at the lobbying firm DC Navigators with McConnell as a special guest. For $1,000 a political action committee could attend and for $500 an individual could participate.

McConnell has also stumped for Grayson in November 2009, at a fundraising lunch hosted by lobbyists including Charlie Grizzle, who represents the East Kentucky Power Cooperative and the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, among others. Also hosting the event was lobbyist Brandon Kirkham, who represents Marathon Oil, and lobbyist Todd Walker, who represents Altria Client Services Inc., the parent company of Phillip Morris USA. For $1,000 a political action committee could attend the event, and for $500 an individual could attend.

Grayson also had the backing of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at a fundraising dinner at Johnny’s Half Shell also in November 2009. One of the event hosts was the Pfizer Political Action Committee.

There are no fundraisers on file for the other candidates, but that doesnt mean they aren’t happening. If you know of one please consider uploading it to us anonymously here.

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.

Today’s private dinner for embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel, as blogged  here.

Even as the health care debate continues in the Senate, the leadership is busy raising money.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hosts a “holiday reception” on Wednesday at the Hotel George.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s leadership PAC, the Bluegrass Committee holds a  breakfast fundraiser on Thursday hosted by Peter Blocklin, who lobbies for the American Bankers Association, David Hoppe, a lobbyist for Quinn Gillespie & Associates, and Robert Dibblee, a lobbyist for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. (We’ve blogged about Dibblee before.)

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)

Lawmakers are celebrating today, the last day of the campaign finance reporting quarter, with nearly two dozen congressional fundraisers.

These range from this reception and dinner for Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) (with special guests Sens. Mitch Mconnell (R-KY) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) to this “Fiesta FUNdraiser” for Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA). This one for Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL) is actually advertised as an “end of quarter lunch reception.”

Interestingly, today is not the date most partied in September. That distinction goes to last Tuesday, the 22nd, when there were at least 43 events.

To see all of today’s parties in one place, click here.

The guilty verdict in the trial of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) had barely been delivered this afternoon when a few GOP senatorial heavyweights started using words like “disgrace,” and “consequences.” It was a far cry from four months ago, just before he was indicted, when a long list of GOP senators were listed on an invitation for a luncheon in his honor.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was on that list. Today, instead of toasting Stevens, he had this to say:

“This is a sad but serious day. Sen. Stevens was found guilty by a jury of his peers, and now must face the consequences of those actions. As a result of his conviction, Sen. Stevens will be held accountable so the public trust can be restored.”

So was Sen. John Ensign (R-NV). Today Ensign said:

“This is a sad day for the United States Senate. Ted Stevens served his constituents for over 40 years and I am disappointed to see his career end in disgrace.”

Only fellow Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who also was listed on the June invitation, stood by her man:

“Ted has asked for Alaskans and his Senate colleagues to stand with him as he pursues his legal rights. He stood with Alaskans for 40 years, and I plan to continue to stand with him.”

Does that mean she would still party for him?

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