Shumlin to Introduce Obama at DGA Fundraiser

Gov. Shumlin speaks at a Statehouse press conference Wednesday. Credit: Paul Heintz

President Barack Obama is scheduled to headline a Democratic Governors Association fundraiser in the nation’s capital Thursday night. And introducing him will be none other than Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, according to DGA spokesman Danny Kanner.

Shumlin and many of the nation’s governors will be in Washington, D.C., for the long weekend to attend the annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association, a bipartisan group. While they’re in town, both the DGA and its counterpart, the Republican Governors Association, will hold their own meetings and fundraisers.

Obama has committed to appear at more than 18 fundraisers to support Democratic groups in the run-up to this fall’s elections, according to the Associated Press. In addition to Thursday’s reception and dinner at Washington’s St. Regis Hotel, he plans to appear at fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee and various entities working to elect Democrats to the House and Senate.

Shumlin has served as chairman of the DGA since December 2012. He declined to answer questions at a Statehouse press conference Wednesday about his fundraising plans for the weekend other than to say, “I’m sure there will be” fundraisers.

Kanner did not respond to inquiries about who was scheduled to attend Thursday’s fundraiser and what the price of admission would be. Typically, DGA events are open to representatives of corporations and unions that pay tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in dues.

According to the DGA’s website, the group’s other activities this weekend include:

Roundtable policy discussions on the economy and climate change Friday afternoon at the Newseum.
A reception and dinner hosted by Shumlin Friday night at the Newseum.
“Late Night with the DGA” at the Elephant & Castle Friday from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
A “Taste of America Gala” at the Maryland Hotel Saturday night. (Vermont Creamery cheese maker Allison Hooper is scheduled to attend, according to the invitation.)
A senior staff reception Sunday night at Hill Country Barbecue.

And if that’s not enough for you, the DGA is planning a “winter policy conference” in Puerto Rico next weekend and a ski weekend in Montana late next month.