Activities for top donors go 'non-stop'

DENVER -- The sun dipped behind the towering sandstone monoliths of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on a recent evening as donors to the Democrats' national convention sipped mojitos and snacked on bison burgers at a private reception. They later took in an invitation-only concert featuring Sheryl Crow and the Dave Matthews Band.

A day later, big givers to the committee raising money for Democratic senators gathered in a plush hotel ballroom for a private breakfast meeting with the candidates. When Barack Obama accepts his party's nomination at the Invesco football stadium here Thursday, major contributors will watch from luxury skyboxes high above the field.

The courting of donors and fundraisers is in high gear at the Democratic National Convention. Those who helped underwrite the four-day event, raised money for congressional candidates or worked to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars for the national party to aid Obama's presidential campaign mingle with celebrities and politicians at dozens of parties, receptions and luncheons.

"It is non-stop," Ben Barnes, a former Texas lieutenant governor, said of the whirlwind of activities. Barnes has contributed more than $100,000 to federal candidates, parties and congressional fundraising committees in the past two years, campaign records show. "After four or five days, it becomes a physical endurance test," he said. "Can you stay up past 1 o'clock in the morning? Can you go to one more party?"

Craig Holman of Public Citizen, a liberal-leaning watchdog group, said these activities are inappropriate. "The more donors chip in, the more access they buy," he said. "And these are some of the biggest lobbying corporations on Capitol Hill."

Stacie Paxton, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, and Nick Shapiro of the Obama campaign said the events are a way to thank donors.

"Many of our top fundraisers in attendance can attend a range of different events thanking them for the work they have been and are doing to help change Washington," Shapiro said in an e-mail.