Lawmakers eye Taylor Swift gigs for fundraisers
Congress members hope they can target potential donors during two upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Washington, D.C.
The pop artist will perform July 13 and 14 in Nationals Park.
CNN reported 16 Republicans and six Democrats are scheduling cash drives during the gigs, according to Coalescent, a fundraising firm involved with their plans.
{mosads}CNN said the bipartisan group of lawmakers planned on charging between $750 and $2,500 per pass to attend their events during the shows.
General admission tickets cost around $60 per stub, CNN noted.
CNN released a list it acquired on Friday of lawmakers and political action committees directly involved in raising financial contributions during the performances.
Coalescent’s information is only available to paid subscribers and it was unclear how CNN obtained the list on Friday.
Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.) are some of the prominent Republicans scheduled for Swift’s shows, according to the list.
Reps. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) are among the Democrats scheduled to attend, Coalescent’s list added.
CNN said a smaller group of lawmakers previously raised funds off Swift’s earlier District appearances in 2010 and 2011.
Swift’s cultural relevance is such that she has been frequently brought up in political discourse.
A UnitedHealth poll released April 30 found 67 percent of children polled would rather dine with the “Blank Space” singer than President Obama.
Former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) resigned in March amid allegations he violated House ethics rules for spending his taxpayers’ dollars. Schock, a noted Swift fan, referenced a line from her song “Shake It Off” when he faced criticism at the start of his scandal.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) used gifs from the singer’s music videos last January to criticize Obama’s push for free community college.
Swift has refused comment on where her own political affiliations truly lie.
“I try to keep myself as educated and informed as possible,” she told Time magazine in 2012. “But I don’t talk about politics because it might influence other people.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed..
