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Club 1608 has two missions: to bring back the Republican majority and to ensure that Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) becomes chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
The club, founded by Camp, takes its name from the 16 net seats Republicans need to retake the House in 2008.
In order to achieve these goals the group, which includes members of the K Street community and beyond, will focus on raising money for vulnerable incumbents and challengers through Camp’s leadership political action committee, according to Camp spokesman Sage Eastman.
Club 1608 will also provide advice on Camp’s campaign to succeed Ways and Means ranking member Jim McCrery (R-La.), who announced in December he would retire from the House at the end of his term.
Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.), who has more seniority than Camp on the committee, is also seeking the top GOP slot on Ways and Means.
The club’s inaugural dinner will take place Thursday evening near the Capitol at 101 Constitution Ave. Groups listed on the host committee include 11 corporate political action committees, including DOWPAC, Comcast Corporation PAC and Pepsico Inc. Concerned Citizens Fund.
Greg Nickerson of Angus & Nickerson, Tom Crawford and Michael Hanson of the C2 Group are also listed as hosts of the event.
The requested amounts for the fundraiser is $5,000 for PAC hosts, $2,500 for attendee PAC and $1,000 for individuals.
The funds go directly to Camp’s leadership PAC, CAMPAC.
During a club meeting two weeks ago, Camp showed slides that detailed his credentials for the Ways and Means post and stressed that leading the committee goes beyond fundraising.
“When you are talking about one of the oldest, most prestigious and most powerful committees in Congress, you need an experienced leader, a skilled legislator and a dedicated Republican at the helm,” Camp said. “I believe I am that person … I have tackled some of the committee’s and the conference’s toughest issues: thwarting SCHIP-gone-wild and the Democrats’ plan to have the government set drug prices; rewriting pension laws for the first time in three decades; the Energy Bill in 2005 … welfare reform … just to name a few.”
Camp contributed $400,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in December, countering Herger’s donation of $250,000 made days before.
Camp contributed $500,000 to the NRCC in 2006. |
