A new Issue One report provides a glimpse into the relentless fundraising pressure faced by legislative leaders in Congress, whom party leaders frequently lean on to raise astonishing amounts of money for the parties’ political war chests under something called the “party dues” system.
While the phrase “party dues” may sound innocuous, the reality is anything but. The amount of money that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) expect legislators to raise is enormous — with sums often exceeding $1 million, according to internal party documents that have occasionally been leaked to the press in recent years.
Moreover, influential lawmakers on the most powerful committees are expected to raise more money than rank-and-file members, making the system akin to a tax imposed by the parties for serving on certain congressional committees….