November 18, 2009 02:51 AM UTC

Same "Party Time" Address, But...

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• by: Colorado Pols

We noted last Friday a fundraiser in Washington DC for Senate candidate Jane Norton, featuring “a long list of GOP insiders” and lobbyists. The Sunlight Foundation’s blog discussed Norton’s longstanding ties to individual organizers and hosts of the event, Norton’s heavy out-of-state fundraising totals, etc.

And since reporters love turnabout, the Denver Post’s Michael Riley reports today:

Influence comes in many forms in the nation’s capital, and twin fundraisers this week for two Colorado Senate candidates shows one of those can be real estate.

Republican candidate Jane Norton was in town Monday for a big-money fundraiser at a Capitol Hill townhouse owned by partners of Williams & Jensen, a powerful Washington lobbying firm.

The townhouse will be the site of a similar event today for Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, among Norton’s potential rivals for the seat, according to the Sunlight Foundation.

Oh crap, blowback! Except wait, there is one difference we’d say is worth noting, down at the bottom of Riley’s story and curiously unelaborated:

Although a staffer of Williams & Jensen will be at Norton’s event, according to a guest list, Democrats say no one from the firm will be at Bennet’s event, which was organized by the campaign and will be officially hosted by U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo.

Missed by Riley is the identity of this employee for the lobbying firm: not merely attending, but a co-host of Norton’s event named Susan Hirschmann. The former chief of staff for none other than disgraced Rep. Tom DeLay. It’s been a little while since Hirschmann was last in the papers, but her last appearance was a doozy–the Washington Post picked up her story in 2005:

The airfare to London and Scotland in 2000 for then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was charged to an American Express card issued to Jack Abramoff, a Washington lobbyist…

Multiple sources, including DeLay’s then-chief of staff Susan Hirschmann, have confirmed that DeLay’s congressional office was in direct contact with Preston Gates about the trip itinerary before DeLay’s departure, to work out details of his travel. These contacts raise questions about DeLay’s statement that he had no way of knowing about the financial and logistical support provided by Abramoff and his firm.

The receipts make clear that flights for DeLay and his wife were initially billed to Abramoff. The plane ticket for the husband of one of DeLay’s aides — David Hirschmann — was billed to the same American Express card used for the DeLay tickets, according to a copy of the invoice.

As is now history, it turned into a very costly trip for Jack Abramoff, DeLay too. Just one of all kinds of anecdotes about Hirschmann, DeLay and post-DeLay, available for the Googling: it’s helpful to check out names you don’t recognize when writing a story. Sometimes, there’s a whole other story waiting for you.

So yes, two U.S. Senate fundraisers for opposing candidates, same Washington D.C. address. If you get all breathless and stop thinking at the headline like some readers (and journalists, apparently), you’re liable to miss the difference. One “Party Time” is hosted by the Senator’s own campaign, and his senior Senate colleague. As for the other fundraiser at the same address?

Well, it’s a lot more interesting, superficial comparisons notwithstanding. Show us somebody with a story half as juicy as Hirschmann’s–Jack Abramoff’s freaking golf trip to Scotland with Tom DeLay for pity’s sake–on Michael Bennet’s host list, and we’ll be happy to concede the point.