Hillary’s “Rocket Man” Fundraiser Gets FEC Thumbs Up

ABC News’ David Chalian reports:

“Victory” is not a word often associated with Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential bid. But the candidate-turned-chief diplomat and her campaign treasurer came away with the win in a Federal Election Commission ruling on Friday.The ruling indicated no laws were violated by having Elton John belt out his tunes for campaign cash.

Nearly one year ago, as then Sen. Clinton was scrambling to try to turn her fortunes around in her battle against Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, the former first lady turned to her friend Elton John to headline a $2.5 million fundraising concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (You may recall that it took a lot of coaxing from the Clinton campaign to sell all the tickets.)

The event also caused a blip of a controversy at the time when some critics questioned if it was legal for the British rocker to headline the fundraiser or if that perhaps violated campaign finance regulations barring foreign nationals from fundraising for or contributing to American political campaigns.

The Clinton campaign asserted at the time that it had complied with the law. The FEC issued a ruling today in agreement. Judicial Watch and other groups critical of Sen. Clinton filed an FEC complaint charging the Clinton campaign with accepting an in-kind contribution from a foreign-national.

“The Commission determined that Sir Elton John’s performance at the fundraiser constituted a volunteer service that is exempted from the definition of “contribution” under the Federal Election Campaign Act. The Commission found no reason to believe that a violation occurred,” read the FEC announcement of its ruling today.

Obama Grassroots Group Holds DC Fundraiser

ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: There will be, as President Obama reminded us this week, “ample time for campaigns down the road.”

But for the Democratic National Committee and Organizing For America — the offshoot of the Obama campaign, and the main entity of what’s referred to as “Obama 2.0” — the campaign continues. At least the money side, that is.

Organizing For America — which is being run through the DNC — tonight is holding its first fundraiser since the president took office, at Lima Restaurant and Lounge in Washington.

It’s billed as a “grassroots” fundraiser, so a ticket costs only $44. To get access to the open bar and “special guests,” the price tag for a VIP ticket is $250.

Alas, those special guests don’t include the president himself. They are actress Laura Breckenridge, from “Gossip Girl”; Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo..; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.; and Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y.