MN: Session fundraising lockdown doesn't close off all avenues
Minnesota lawmakers and their caucuses are in a campaign fundraising blackout period, where they can’t pull in money from registered lobbyists, outside political funds or associations that might have matters pending before the Legislature.
But that long-standing law — restricting certain contributions between 12 a.m. on the first day of the annual legislative session and 11:59 p.m. on the final day — isn’t the barrier to influence that it has been held up to be.
Major political groups and state parties remain open for contributions. And they can rely on the same officials restricted by law to draw donors to fundraisers as long as the lawmakers are not called hosts.
Later this month, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic and House Speaker Melissa Hortman are set to headline a “Mid-Session Meet and Greet” for the DFL state party. Donors at the evening event being held in a hotel a short walk from the Capitol are asked to contribute between $250 to $2,500.
The invitation’s fine print strives to keep it within bounds of the session contribution restrictions: “Any contribution solicited from a lobbyist or PAC is solicited solely by the Minnesota DFL Party and is made exclusively for the Minnesota DFL Party. No contributions will be solicited by, or accepted on behalf of, the House DFL Caucus, the Senate DFL caucus, or any candidate.”
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/03/02/session-fundraising-lockdown-doesnt-close-off-all-avenues
