WASHINGTON - Florida politicians are used to swanky fund-raisers with celebrity talent and tasty bites like crab cakes and salad dressed with pear and blue cheese, held in grand ballrooms with entrance fees that far exceed the monthly pay of most of their constituents.
So how's this for a switcheroo? Wednesday night, Florida lawmakers raised money for the people.
Most of Florida's congressional delegation and their families, joined by about 200 lobbyists, political operatives and officials, held a dinner to raise $1-million for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.
Attendees paid at least $5,000 per couple, and many paid more, and they hit up their regular political contributors for donations as well, from FedEx and the cruise industry to wine and spirits wholesalers. Blue Cross/Blue Sheild of Florida and Bristol-Myers Squibb each gave $100,000.
The JW Marriot Hotel donated the ballroom and a portion of the food and drink. Country singer Chely Wright donated her talents.
And Art Smith, personal chef to Oprah Winfrey, donated his expertise in the galley to whip up a "homestyle dinner" that included scalloped oysters in toast cups, Southern fried chicken, roast turkey and white bean cassoulet, and sweet pecans.
It was Smith's idea. A native of Jasper, Fla., Smith contacted the delegation about holding a Washington party to raise money for victims of the four hurricanes that hit the state late this summer.
Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Allen Boyd,D-Monticello, agreed to host it with their wives, Emilie Shaw and Cissy Boyd. After a bitter election, it gave Democrats and Republicans a chance to toast each other. The only campaign buttons were orange ones offering, "Ask me about the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund."
Seventeen of the state's 25 U.S. representatives attended, as did Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, Republican Sen.-elect Bob Martinez, and retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Graham.
The event brought the fund to $18-million, director Steve Uhlfelder said. Gov. Jeb Bush established it to help with reconstruction expenses not covered by federal and state agencies or private insurance, including mental health services, medical supplies and repairing youth baseball fields.
"One of the things about the hurricanes is that it brought people together," Uhfelder said, looking around the room. Boyd was chatting with Rep. Tom Feeney, a conservative Republican from Oviedo. "This doesn't happen often."
