Business puts the party in party conventions

By Kevin Drawbaugh - Analysis

DENVER (Reuters) - Corporate America is lavishing parties on Democrats and Republicans at their presidential nominating conventions, defying promises by lawmakers to "drain the swamp" of special-interest influence in government.

Late-night cocktails, brunches, afternoon receptions and special events are on the agenda for Democrats in Denver this week and Republicans in St. Paul next week -- most sponsored by big companies, industry lobbying groups and labor unions,

Invited Democrats can bat a ball at the stadium of Denver's baseball team and see hip-hop star Kanye West perform. Some Republicans will attend a Texas honky-tonk with country singer Gretchen Wilson and a show by classic rocker Sammy Hagar.

Lobbyists arrived ahead of Monday's opening in Denver where the Democratic party this week will formally nominate Illinois Sen. Barack Obama to take on Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain in the November 4 presidential election.

Ethics reforms from mid-2007 bar members of Congress from attending lobbyist-paid parties in their honor at national conventions. This followed years of mostly Republican scandals that helped Democrats win control of Congress in 2006.

When the reforms were put in place, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said they would help "drain the swamp that is Washington, D.C." But groups advocating good government are raising doubts.

CHANGE?

Whether the reforms clean up the conventions, even a little, by ending the blatant currying of favor displayed at functions honoring individual lawmakers remains to be seen, said Fred Wertheimer, president of campaign finance reform advocacy group Democracy21.

"These rules were never going to stop all the parties at the conventions ... Everyone and their brother holds receptions at the conventions," he said.

In the past, for instance, a major energy company might fete the energy committee chairman.

Now special interests are throwing parties billed as celebrations for entire state delegations, or for worthy causes, said Nancy Watzman, director of a project backed by the Sunlight Foundation that lists politicians' social events at www.politicalpartytime.org.

On Monday evening, a Denver nightclub will host parties thrown by several groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Distilled Spirits Council.

"This is a chance for the chamber to meet with a lot of people who don't work in Washington and hear their voices," said J.P. Fielder, spokesman for the chamber, the nation's largest lobbying organization for businesses.

Telecommunications group AT&T Inc contributed to both conventions' host committees and has been involved in the conventions for years "to showcase the elective process in the best light possible" and "to present and display the many leading edge technologies and innovations that we offer," said company spokesman Michael Balmoris.

Credit card company Visa Inc said it "is proud to support the Democratic and Republican national conventions" and will host financial literacy events for young attendees.