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J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Ron Darling and other riggers load nets full of balloons for the Republican National Convention festivities inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Friday.
A "salute" to oil baron David Koch. A fete bankrolled by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. And gala bashes for GOP super PAC donors and bundlers featuring rock stars like Kid Rock and ex-Eagles guitarist Don Felder.
Those are only a handful of the big parties planned for Republican delegates, lawmakers and donors in Tampa starting this weekend. While some of the events are well advertised and open to the public, private schedules, prepared for GOP fundraisers and obtained by NBC News, show that this year's convention will once again provide a unique opportunity for lobbyists and big dollar donors to wine and dine lawmakers -- and press their agendas.
"It's a mega-fundraising, lobbying extravaganza. Everybody is in one place at one time," says Jack Abramoff, the onetime kingpin lobbyist whose 2006 conviction for corruption led to reforms aimed at cracking down on lobbyist influence peddling.
Abramoff, who was released from prison last year and will be attending this year's GOP convention as a commentator for "Inside Edition," said that, as far as he can see, lobbyists and their lawyers have merely figured out creative new ways to skirt the rules -- a point underscored by the dizzying array of parties all week in Tampa. "Nothing has really changed," he said.
Storm warnings notwithstanding, the action begins in earnest Sunday at 5:30 p.m. when one of Washington's biggest lobbying firms, Williams and Jensen (whose current clients include the American Bankers Association, Pfizer and Comcast, which owns NBC) hosts a kick-off reception and dinner for GOP delegates at a local eatery called Bern's Steakhouse.
Just a half hour later, another big D.C. lobbying powerhouse -- Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock (current clients: the American Gaming Association, Ford Motor, J.P. Morgan and Time Warner Cable) -- hosts a dinner for the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee at the Tampa Museum of Art.
Then later in the evening, oil giant Chevron and Aflac, the insurance firm, are co-hosts of a "Two Step, Soul and Rock 'N Roll" party at the Historic Cuban Club; AT& T throws a competing party at Armani's Grand Hyatt; and the American Action Network, an "issues advocacy group" headed by former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, teams up with Citizens United for a bash at Liberty Plaza.
But delegates may have to pace themselves. On Monday night, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce joins the Distilled Spirits Council for a "Celebrate the Spirit of Tampa" party at the Tampa Aquarium. On Tuesday, Barbour Griffith and Rogers, another of Washington's biggest lobbying firms (among its current clients: Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline and the country of Qatar) hosts the delegates at Stump's Supper Club with a party honoring its founding partner, Haley Barbour, who, after serving as governor of Mississippi and toying with the idea of running for president, has rejoined the firm.
The next morning, Restore Our Future, the Romney super PAC, offers a private briefing for its mega donors by Sen. Marco Rubio. And that afternoon, the Republican Jewish Coalition throws a "Salute to Pro-Israel Elected Officials at the Crowne Plaza, where the coalition's major bankroller, casino kingpin Adelson, is expected to make a grand appearance. (That's not the only Adelson presence at the convention. According to a report in Yahoo News on Friday, the YG Network -- named for House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor's Young Guns -- has named a "Woman Up!" pavilion for Miriam Adelson, the mogul's Israeli-born wife.)
Craig Holman, a lawyer for Public Citizen, a campaign watchdog group that plans to "bird dog" the parties , says that this year's convention is showcasing new ways that lobbyists are bypassing ethics rules. Those rules -- enacted in 2007 after the Abramoff scandal -- barred lobbyists from throwing parties honoring "a member of Congress." So this year's parties don't honor individual members; they honor groups of members such as "A Salute to the House and Senate Energy and Commerce Committees" being thrown by a new consulting firm called GOP Convention Strategies at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. ("It's a Home Run!" reads the invite.)
But perhaps the most conspicuous honoree is not any member or delegate: It's David Koch, the billionaire oil man who helps run energy giant Koch Industries. Along with his brother, Charles, Koch has emerged as one of the biggest and most controversial financiers of conservative advocacy groups that gave rise to the Tea Party and other GOP causes. On Thursday, Americans for Prosperity -- one of the Koch-backed groups that has announced it plans to spend $151 million on this year's campaign, including a new blitz of TV ads attacking President Barack Obama -- will sponsor "A Salute to Entrepreneurs Building America."
There will be two men honored at the event: Art Pope, the group's chairman, and Koch.
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What happened to the party for Americans. What.... no job fair? No loan applications for start up businesses! Reminds me of the roaring 20's when the elite ran everything...but the market crashed and they lost. The crash is coming.
How blatantly biased can NBC News get?! Like the same thing is not going to happen during the DNC? But as one poster has already said, it will not be on the front page, if at all.
So you want to be like Democrats? Good for You!
WoW! And I thought the GOP convention was going to be a bunch of chubby white boys hosting bible-studies with their carefully made-up, pushup-bra'd wives serving ice tea and home-baked cookies. You don't think there will be any sex during the convention between people who aren't married to each other, do you?
At least, Timmy Dolan will be there at the end to bless everybody and hear their confessions.
Gee Pattie, You are telling where your mind is. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
Well, we've all been treated to at least 15 years of the GOP's utter obsession with sex: who's doing it, with whom, exactly what are they doing, how much are they doing it, use an aspirin for birth control, we have to be allowed to broadcast prayers right before the scantily clad young cheerleaders (virgins, of course) come out and shake it 'cause we got morals, and if we happen to boff somebody not our wife it's okay 'cause we're forgiven!
It's comical to watch this crowd at play!
Yep and most of them didn't bring their wives. Friends of mine in Tampa have told me that high priced call girls (and guys) are all over the town in expectation of a good payday.
Family values at it's best.
I wonder why NBCNEWS didn't mention this little tidbit of info.
But even as Democrats tout the three-day event in September as a populist gathering, organizers have found ways to skirt the rules and give corporations and lobbyists a presence at the nominating convention. That suggests they can't raise the $37 million for the political extravaganza without at least some help from moneyed interests.
Despite the ban on corporate money, for example, convention officials have encouraged corporate executives to write personal checks, according to sources familiar with the fundraising. And they have suggested that corporations can participate by donating goods and services to the convention, and by giving up to $100,000 through a corporate foundation.
They have also quietly explained to lobbyists that while they can't make contributions, they can help raise money from their clients — by soliciting personal checks from executives or in-kind contributions from corporations. Lobbyists who bundle high sums will get perks like premium credentials and hotel rooms.
Labor unions, meanwhile, are not specifically prohibited from giving. They provided millions of dollars for the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver.
The role of special interests at the convention reflects Obama's broader struggle to fulfill his 2008 vow to limit the influence of money in politics.
"What they're doing sounds like the old forms of raising money that they claimed they were not going to do," said Fred Wertheimer, president of the campaign finance reform group Democracy 21. "They may not be violating the letter of their own rules, but they certainly are not complying with the spirit of their own rules."
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/05/nation/la-na-convention-money-20120406
Everything we know that's dirty we learned from Nixon and the repukes.
h
***Socialist news media
As a news "junkie," everyday I read MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, and of course, CNN. (Including comments.) It is very obvious that the American citizens are slowly awakening to the failure of our Socialist experiment with Pelosi/Reid/Obama. Even CBS is starting to report un-slanted news but woefully, MSNBC and CNN have not yet notice their precipitous lowering of viewers and commentator"s attempt to correct MSNBC and CNN's slanted tacks.
If during the week of August 27 the planet Earth needed an enema, Tampa is where the tube would be placed. The next week, the insertion point would be shifted to Charlotte.
Hey - good for Tampa - one of my favorite cities. This event is a great boost to a Florida economy that really needs it. Enjoy the fruits of what being able to work provides this week - don't forget these people have enough money to provide a good tip (even though some of them won't) These fat cat party goers have enjoyed a good percentage off on their taxes for many years, have probably had a hand in laying the rest of us off, and been making money where most of us have not.
Instead of their pool of cash going to another sick slime backed commercial that most people will mute on TV - they can spend it in Tampa and help some of the most impacted from the economic conditions.
Enjoy their millions and their lavish spending habits while you can. Don't forget that many of your visitors will not treat the most unimportant people in the room with the respect they deserve. Just smile and collect their cash and move on.
Too bad that rail system was deep six'd by your idiot Governor or other Florida cities would be able to enjoy all the fun.
I also hope that the Hurricane dies down - seriously I do - even though it may mean we all have to endure a bunch of comments on how God listens to the prayers of the faithful.
Soak it up Tampa - I am hoping they can clean up the mess fast enough.
do the call girls have an advanced party sent in to get land lines and supplies moved in along with the sex theme for the perverts who attend like bathroom stalls etc.young guys looking like page staff,just wondering.
Let them have their fun. After all it will probably be their last and only hurrah.
During the convention, tapdancing lessons will be offered by prominent republiscum. Just go to the nearest Mens Room.
Modern Republicans: the best government money can buy.
Modern Republicans: the best government money can buy
How about some truthful insite about who is in Control of the Parties
Koch Brothers donaters to the Republican Party . Koch Family related to the Rothchild Family
Soros Family Donaters to the Democrat party. Soros Family related to the Rothchild Family
Get the picture The Rothchild Family has its hooks into America. And by the way The Federal Reserve is operated by the Rothchild Family as well. Just behind the closet doors so no one can tell.
Get rid of the Rothchild money and send them back across to Europe from wence they came and America can be free again.
Every repuke in America will be there with their hand out gettin' drunk. Norquist, the chief lobbyist will be taking names. How exciting. (Is Ann prancing on stage on a horse?)
Yes. The horse's name is also Ann.
It's all garbage and in the end you just get the Rich vs. the Poor. Romnoid vs. Odumbo as they battle to the bitter end to see who will best misrepresent you. I guess I will have to side with the Poor this year, as they obviously need more help than the "safety net" Mittens wants to use. He plans to destroy the middle class anyway and odds are, the Republicants will push the retirement age out to 85 or 90 and outsource my Medicare plan to China... oh joy!
potable,its always going to be have and have nots there has to be a god and i don't think she's recrumblican and i bet she is pissed at robinromney and his sidelick little paulie ryan,the great fixer of medicare and social security.
its good to read all these posts on this pre-hurricane day the repubs should drink some of the sea water they keep putting in the coolers for us to drink.
So all of you are telling me that this does not happen at the Democratic convention? Or is it just not reported? Which is it? I do not condone this type of activity but it has gone on for as long as we have had polictics in both the Democratic and Republican parties. I can't figure out why this is news unless it is going to be reported for both. Something to think about.
Lobbists at White House Exposed By Visitor Logs after Suite to force White House To turn over the logs:
Obama On Lobbists during the 2008 campaign shows his inconsistencies between his words and his actions.
I'd look into Obama's lobbying problem,....and policy is not set at the conventions.
Check yourself... 'policy' is set when lobbyists give money to politicians. You can count on it.
An absolutely Huge Number of Lobbyists who had visited The Obama White House was Revealed after a lawsuit forces Obama to release the White House Visitor Logs. What happened to Obama's campaign pledge?
I believe, the Vistor Log law suit was brought under Bush, stablishing the precedent that the logs were a matter of public record. Why would a second lawsuit be necessary?
And, I think the "pledge" was in regard to "hiring," not to "visitors." And, yes, I believe "the pledge" was broken and acknowledged, with the hiring of several ex-lobbyists.
Can't wait to see which convention gives the local economy a better boost...
More biased liberal Media BS. Are they trying to tell the people that whst happenes at the Republican convention don't happen at the Democrat convention. My A#S The Democrats play the same game at their conventions.
The Media needs to stop interfering with elections. Or they will pay the price for their TREASON
I understand the "Young Guns" Party for Miriam Adelson, will be called "The Let Them Eat Cake Fest."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e2wE8iEt2w
I am amazed that so many people refer to Romney and 'right-wing' Christians in the same sentence. Romney doesn't even profess to be a Christian. At best, he and his church believe Jesus Christ is a 'prophet' ... not a Saviour. He believes Joseph Smith is his Saviour. Is there anybody out there that believes this too? Or am I the only person who has missed the correlation between Mormons and Christians????
And for you 'right-wing' Repubs... At least, Obama professes to be a Christian.
And the abortion issue.... Romney (who has no courage of his convictions but says what it takes to get elected) is anti-abortion; however, he thinks it is okay in the case of incest or rape. But, does he still think it's murder then? Or is it 'justifiable murder' because he said so? Does that mean if he doesn't like my post, he can make the judgment call that I am the victim of 'justifiable murder'. Abortion is abortion - either you are "anti" or "pro".
I believe members of the LDS Church do consider themselves to be Christians.
Thanks for the input... Your comment led me to do a little more research and you are right. However, this is an interesting website in the differences:
"We believe in God, the Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." The first Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
You seem to have a lot of opinion about thinlgs of which you have no knowledge.
You are so right... I do have "a lot of opinion" and I opined before I should have. However, just let me set the record straight....I have done more research now and I still don't want Mitt in the White House.
The Mormon's (LDS) consider that Jesus is the son God. They do NOT believe Jesus is God incarnate. Mainline Conservative Christians believe in the Holy Trinity. As in; GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON and God the Holy Spirit. The Mainline Conservative Christians do not consider the Mormons (LDS) a Christian based church.
It speaks volumes that the convention will be attended by an ex-con and not Sarah Palin, Senator Akin or Judge Head. Glad to see they have their priorities in order.
Casino Jack and the United States of Money... watch it.