Despite the looming possibility of a government shutdown, federal layoffs and furloughs, there's at least one thing members of Congress from both political parties can readily agree on these days: partying.
Morning, noon and night, more than 150 fundraising parties are scheduled all over Washington this week for Democratic and Republican politicians in bars, restaurants and private town houses and at sporting events — even to watch the woeful Washington Wizards play. Other lawmakers are gearing up for March Madness, the upcoming NCAA basketball tournament, with luxury suites for fundraising at the Verizon Center.
The flurry of fundraising comes as the end of the first quarter for reporting election contributions comes up. Also, Congress will be adjourning next week, so politicians might be scurrying to raise money in Washington while they still can.
....Fundraising parties are closed to members of the public who aren't willing or able to pay the usual suggested donation of anywhere from $500 to $5,000 or more. It's possible but not always easy to figure out who attends these events because lawmakers must file information on their contributions with the Federal Election Commission, but that can take weeks or months. By then, the old parties are forgotten. The information also doesn't give a complete picture.
But other times, it's easy to tell. That's because after work, politicians sometimes go to lobbyists' Capitol Hill homes to raise money for their political campaigns.
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