News: Former President Donald Trump’s campaign raised more than $2 million at a fundraiser in D.C. Wednesday night, according to sources familiar with the haul.
The fundraiser — thrown and organized by GOP mega lobbyist Jeff Miller — featured Donald Trump Jr. and more than 100 members of Congress. The total raised is especially notable given that the candidate himself didn’t attend the event, which was held at the JW Marriott Hotel.
But here’s another interesting part: After the fundraiser, Arthur Schwartz and Cliff Sims — two GOP political operators with close ties to Hill leadership and Trump Jr. — organized a high-level dinner with top Republican senators and members of the House.
The dinner, held in a private dining room at the Conrad, included: Schwartz, Sims, Speaker Mike Johnson, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Senate Republican Conference Chair John Barrasso and his top aide Arjun Mody, NRSC Chair Steve Daines and executive director Jason Thielman, Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). Former Trump Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and Congressional Leadership Fund President Dan Conston were also in attendance as well as Raj Shah, the deputy chief of staff to Johnson.
Also in the room: David Sacks, the venture capitalist and host of the “All In” podcast; Miller; Morgan Ortagus; Tommy Hicks, the former co-chair of the RNC and a Texas-based venture capitalist; and Todd Walker, Altria’s head of government affairs.
An interesting tidbit from the steak-and-rockfish dinner: Johnson sat across from Don Jr. and discussed 2024 strategy.
— Jake Sherman
