Michael Beckel / Center for Public Integrity
The Center for Public Integrity’s money-in-politics reporting team is bringing you news from the Democratic National Convention — focusing on special-interest influence, big-money politicking and corporate schmoozing.
Editor’s note: The Center for Public Integrity’s money-in-politics reporting team is bringing you news from the Democratic National Convention — focusing on special-interest influence, big-money politicking and corporate schmoozing. Reporters Michael Beckel and Carrie Levine are on the ground in Philadelphia. Follow their coverage this week by clicking here. And click here to read their coverage of the Republican National Convention.
GREENBACKS GET YOU ON THE GREENS
7:41 p.m. Sunday, July 24: Southern Company, Altria, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Abbott Laboratories, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and T-Mobile are some of the corporate interests sponsoring the third annual No Greater Sacrifice Congressional Shoot-Out Monday as part of the Democratic National Convention.
Sponsorship packages for the golf tournament, which raises money for charity, range from as little as $15,000 to as much as $100,000, according to promotional materials obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.
Give at least $25,000 and your players will be paired with VIP golfers, like celebrities, wounded service members or members of Congress. Other expected attendees include governors, mayors and lobbyists.
Nine members of Congress are listed as part of the event’s “honorary host committee.” They are Reps. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa.; James Clyburn, D-S.C.;Mike Doyle, D-Pa.; Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo.; Scott Peters, D-Calif.; and John Yarmuth, D-Ky.; and Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Mark Warner, D-Va.; and Tom Udall, D-N.M.
Last year, the top golfer at the event was Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, who recently concluded a congressional investigation into the circumstances around the September 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that left U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans dead.
— Michael Beckel
LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED… AGAIN
3:20 p.m. Sunday, July 24: The convention committee doesn’t have to reveal its donors until 60 days after the Democratic National Convention, but the Center for Public Integrity has already unearthed some major backers, including a seven-figure contribution from the bricklayers’ union.
Of course, companies are also finding quiet ways to give — such as sponsoring private parties that don’t have to be disclosed, but allow them to rub elbows with lawmakers.
Want to see Snoop Dogg? Sorry — invitation only.
For more, check out our story here — and remember, we’ll be on the lookout for special interest influence throughout the convention.
— Carrie Levine