Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MI) solicited donors to her reelection committee with an “elite club” including policy discussions with special guests such as Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
The most recent “conversation” was set to be after both senators finished voting on the Democrat election takeover bill, which posed to take big money out of politics. The irony here is that the bill, S. 1, supposedly aims to get money out of politics and end influence on lawmakers–yet Klobuchar is literally providing high dollar donors to her campaign special access to her and Warnock around the bill.
Contributions of at least $725 a year will get you an invite into an “elite club” to have “regular policy talks” with her, Business Insider reports. A fundraising message from Klobuchar’s campaign committee asked the supporters to become members of the “North Star” conversation series after meeting certain campaign donation amounts.
The same day the Republicans blocked the Democrats’ election takeover bill, the senator planned another “pay to attend” conversation with Warnock so they can “discuss legislation that aims to limit the influence of money in politics.” In an email sent from the Minnesota Democrat’s campaign, she reportedly “sent would-be donors a detailed list of price points to get exclusive access to conversations with the senator.”
“The North Star Series offers a unique opportunity to stay in touch and grow a dialogue with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar through a salon style series of conversations and opportunities,” the email said, according to the report. The email also included “quarterly virtual gatherings with the Senator and special guests, a monthly newsletter, and other unique opportunities” for members that “contribute” at least $725 annually.
The email allegedly said the contributing members would also serve as “grassroots advisors” for her 2024 reelection campaign as she gets an early start on donations. Reportedly, the email showed four different types of contribution levels: $1,450 to become a North Stars Committee member, $725 to be a North Stars friend, $500 to be a sponsor, and $100 to be a guest.
Klobuchar’s and Warnock’s offices did not return a request for comment to Business Insider.
The so-called For the People Act, which was the Democrats’ attempt to pass a partisan election takeover bill, was scheduled to be voted on the same day as the fundraiser. Hypocritically, the bill in which both senators were original cosponsors was supposed to “reduce the influence of big money in politics.”
Klobuchar, whose election is not until 2024, won by a wide, 24 point margin in 2018. As of March 31, her Federal Election Commission (FEC) records showed her reelection campaign committee had more than $1.2 million cash on hand.
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