For sale: How much influence does $50,000 buy you at the Republican convention?

MILWAUKEE — An open secret about national conventions: the real action is often outside the convention hall, blocks or even miles away from where a political party will formally nominate its presidential candidate.

And this week in tony restaurants, trendy bars, hotel ballrooms and entertainment venues across Milwaukee, corporate lobbyists, megadonors and conservative advocacy organizations will engage in the age-old tradition of using money to influence politics.

The more money you have, the more access you can buy.

So what does $50,000 buy you at the Republican National Convention?

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Quite a lot, according to more than two-dozen private invitations and political sponsorship offers reviewed by Raw Story.

Take the Republican Party of Arizona’s $50,000 “corporate platinum sponsorship” package. Includes the opportunity to “serve as the title sponsor” for an Arizona delegation event and an “upgraded VIP hotel room,” in addition to seemingly unlimited access to the delegation’s gatherings and activities. “Help raise WVGOP’s profile and promote your organization.”

Then there’s the $50,000 West Virginia delegation’s “Almost Heaven Convention Strategies Sponsorship Package,” which includes invitations to “all WVGOP convention receptions” — more than a dozen in all. You’ll also get a “speaking role” at two West Virginia delegation events and recognition in the delegation’s convention program and “all WVGOP convention receptions.”

“Connect with GOP leaders from across the country,” a sponsorship document reads.

The Virginia delegation offers a $50,000 “platinum supporter” package with similar perks plus such sweeteners as a “private sponsor Meet and Greet and photo op opportunity with VIP guests” and recognition as a “platinum Sponsor for all events honoring the Virginia Republicans with name/logo listed on all signs, materials, etc.”

And if you’re really loaded, you can double down and cough up $100,000 to become the “title sponsor” of Donald Trump’s home state delegation of Florida, which on Monday officially cast the delegate votes to formally put Trump over the threshold to become the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee.

Florida delegation title sponsors are entitled to the works: top billing at numerous delegate events, access to high-profile politicians, recognition wherever one goes.

The "Southern States Fest at the Ballpark" is also a six-figure-sponsor affair, with a "stage and band sponsor" buying themselves access to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), the Louisiana convention delegation and musician Lee Greenwood, along with 100 event tickets, "stage naming rights" and "other special benefits."

The delegations for Georgia, Missouri and Alabama also offer prospective sponsors big-time benefit packages for $50,000 contributions.

Here’s what you’ll get at other events this week, according to sponsorship documents:

• “BBQ, Bikes & Blues”: The “gold supporter” “host sponsorship package” at Tuesday’s event at Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson Museum, which honored the delegations of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming,” costs $20,000. It includes 20 tickets to the event, top billing on event signage, meet-and-greets with “VIPs,” “hotel room opportunities” and “access to official RNC Convention credentials.”
• “The Lawyers Reception”: For a cool $25,000, the Republican National Lawyers Association will provide you “elite recognition of your law firm — logo featured on multiple displays at the reception” at a three-hour event at the law firm Husch Blackwell. You’ll also receive “special acknowledgment of your firm by master of ceremonies during program” and a host of other goodies, such as the “possibility of privileged access for multiple guests to RNC Convention for multiple days and one guest to delegate floor.”
• “Boots and Bourbon”: Join Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) and the Kentucky delegation for top-shelf treatment, constant promotion at private events and speaking opportunities — for $20,000. You’ll also get the cool title, “Bourbon Host.”
• “Red White & Brew”: Sponsored by conservative organizations Independent Women’s Voices and RightNow, a $15,000 “pilsner supporter” sponsorship will buy you access to the same beer everyone else is drinking — plus a dozen event tickets and your name plastered everywhere, among other
• “Brewing a Majority Reception”: This is Milwaukee, after all, so it serves to reason there would be more than one beer-themed event. This one, at the Historic Pabst Brewery, features two powerful members of Congress — Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). Sponsors who pay $20,000 get 15 event tickets, photos with VIPs, top listing on signage and credentials, “speakeasy access” and two tickets to a future event in Washington, D.C., with Barrasso.

As these are generally private events and closed to press, it’s not immediately evident who is shelling out top dollar to sponsor these and other events.

But there are hints.

For example, Raw Story spotted signs for ULINE, the shipping supply company founded by GOP megadonors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, inside a private Fiserv Forum lounge for top Trump campaign and Republican National Committee supporters attending the Republican National Convention.

Spotted inside a lounge for the Republican State Leadership Committee: pillows placed on plush chairs featured logos for Lyft, the ride hailing company.

Some of these sponsorship packages are organized by Conventions2024, a company that describes itself as “a group of veteran political convention operatives who have been producing events at the GOP Convention since 2008.”

Representatives from the company did not respond to Raw Story messages.

But one government watchdog bemoaned the widespread influence peddling, which is certain to also be present next month in Chicago when the Democratic National Convention is conducted.

“Corporate lobbyists, big businesses, and special interests always see the national party conventions as yet another way of buying influence with elected officials, and as a result, party officials are often complicit in selling access during conventions,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause.

Scherb insisted that Congress needs to pass legislation to “get big, secret money out of politics and to ensure that the voices of everyday Americans can be fully heard in government.”