Party time at conventions

Companies, unions, and others trying to influence Washington will be bankrolling much of the Democratic and Republican conventions.

According to a new study by the Campaign Finance Institute and the Center for Responsive Politics, more than 170 corporations, unions, and other organizations are expected to put more than $112 million into the conventions -- or about $4 of every $5 to put on the shindigs.

There are 141 donors to the host committee in Denver for next week's Democratic gathering, 80 to the host committee in St. Paul for the Republican convention the following week, and 48 that have donated to both, the study found.

The 171 groups have spent $1.5 billion on federal campaign contributions and lobbying since the 2004 election, the study found.

The largesse to the conventions is despite new ethics rules for members of Congress and lobbyists. But there are still 400 or so events, the center said, because "with a little creativity by their event planners and attorneys, corporations, unions and other organizations have still managed to fill the social calendars in Denver and the Twin Cities."