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The Sunlight Foundation Blog
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Party Time at the Conventions
Today’s edition of The New York Times profiles Steven Farber, a very successful lobbyist, who helped secure the Democratic National Convention for Denver. According to The Washington Post’s The Sleuth column, it’s shaping up to be quite the party. Meanwhile, Farber is feverishly finishing raising the $40 million plus to fund the convention, and he is very well suited for the job. “In terms of lobbyists,” writes The Times, “few are more connected – both west of the Mississippi and in the corridors of power in Washington – than Steve Farber.” He’s the co-founder of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, which collected almost $13 million in fees during 2007, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’ lobbying database.
Back in January 2007, soon after the Democrats picked Denver to host the convention, Faber set a goal of raising $60 million. But that figure appears to be too ambitious. The Times reports that they are at least $11 million from reaching their goals. The typical tactic has been selling access to party leaders, members of Congress and their staff, and to possibly the soon to be occupants of the West Wing of the White House. As The Politico’s Jeanne Cummings termed convention fundraising, it’s an “oversized loophole in campaign finance laws.”
