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GOP Memo: 66 Senate fundraisers in 54 days

Senate Republicans -- hoping to capitalize on the momentum of Scott Brown's Massachusetts victory -- are holding 66 big-money fundraisers over the next 54 days hosted by lobbyists, energy industry execs and political headliners like Mary Matalin, according to an internal scheduling memo leaked to POLITICO.

The Feb. 5th memo from National Republican Senatorial Committee executive director Rob Jesmer provides an inside look at a party hoping to cash in on the momentum of the Tea Party movement -- while strengthening its money connections to the Washington lobbying establishment so reviled by the conservative populists who have given the GOP new life.

[Complete memo, with contact info redacted, is after the jump]

Most of the events are inside the Beltway -- and one, a big Feb. 23 fundraiser for Colorado Senate hopeful Jane Norton, features much of the Senate GOP's leadership and lobbyist/McCain adviser Charlie Black.

But a handful are veritable mini-vacations, including Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso's four-person "Ski Pass" ($5,000) to Jackson Hole on March 5-6, which includes an "industry dinner" in Washington.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has been fighting Obama administration efforts to classify CO2 as a pollutant, hosts an "Iditarod Kick-Off and Skiing Weekend" for PACs -- $3k per.

Lobbyists are well represented.

A $1,000-per-PAC Feb. 9th fundraiser for New Hampshire GOP hopeful Kelly Ayotte, held at Morton's Steakhouse near K St., is hosted by veteran lobbyist and GOP fundraiser Jeff Walter. Walter currently represents JP Morgan Chase and once lobbied on behalf of AIG, according to Senate records.

Two weeks later, Ayotte is scheduled to attend a fundraiser hosted by Exxon Mobil lobbyist John Boudreaux.

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who is up this year, is hosting a $1,000-$2,500-a-head fundraiser on Feb. 10 at the Caucus Room steakhouse in DC, an event hosted by the energy-giant Southern Company Employees PAC and the Edison Electric Institute.

Later that day. NRSC Chairman John Cornyn (R-Tex.) will attend a joint fundraiser thrown by a trio of hosts not typically associated with the Tea Party movement: mega-lobbyist Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, the lobbying arm of engineering and construction giant Fluor Corp. and Pfizer pharmaceutical's PAC.

Also on Feb. 10th: David Vitter, who is running for reelection in Louisiana, actually holds a $2,000-per-host fundraiser inside the DC offices of Entergy, a utility company that relies heavily on nuclear power. A day later, North Carolina incumbent Richard Burr attends a K Street fundraiser hosted by energy lobbyist Michael Whatley.

This year big draw appears to be South Dakota's John Thune, who is a guest speaker at at least four of the events.

If anybody reads the list and notices anything I missed -- let me know...

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