Buttigieg fundraiser

It seems a fitting way to welcome Pete Buttigieg to the top tier of 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Two major Democratic power players ― Steve Elmendorf and Barry Karas ― would host a fundraiser for the South Bend, Indiana, mayor, the first openly gay man to seek the presidency, collecting checks worth up to $5,600 to add to his already healthy campaign coffers.

But the event, which was first reported by NBC News, also highlights a potentially awkward fact: Buttigieg, a Rhodes scholar and military veteran, is the only high-level contender who would take money from Elmendorf, a former top aide to Richard Gephardt, who was House Democratic leader from 1989 to 2003, and one of the city’s most powerful lobbyists.

Of the top tier of active candidates seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination ― usually identified by pundits to include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Buttigieg, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) ― only Buttigieg is actively accepting donations from Washington lobbyists.

[...]

Buttigieg’s stance stands out. Elmendorf’s extensive client list includes Amazon, H&R Block, the American Gaming Association, the American Investment Council and Hilton, according to lobbying disclosure reports. Buttigieg also took a donation from Stephen Neuman, a lobbyist for American Airlines.

Buttigieg’s campaign said the donations wouldn’t influence his policy positions and noted he isn’t taking donations from corporate PACs or fossil fuel interests.

“Pete has never made a decision based on a contribution that he’s received, and where he receives his contributions from has no bearing on the policy positions and governmental actions he takes,” said Lis Smith, his campaign’s communications director.

  HuffPost

Well, I'm sure they all say that.

The mayor’s campaign noted he was the first 2020 candidate to disclose the names of people bundling donations for him, a 23-person list that includes Elmendorf and several members of the wealthy Pohlad family in Minneapolis, and said he would continue to be transparent about how he’s raising funds.

Every donor is a lobbyist in some sense - they support your positions, presumably. And someone coming in from the outside needs big money, but there's a taint to lobbyist money, deserved or  not, and not just PAC money.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE: