Free Republic

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state GOP collected an estimated $2.5 million Monday at a fundraiser headlined by Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), as scores of union members protested outside the event calling for the governor's ouster in November. For Schwarzenegger, the closed-door dinner begins to replenish a political fund drained last year by his costly and losing campaign to enact ballot proposals to slow state spending and curb public union power in Sacramento. Top donors kicked in as much as $100,000 to attend the dinner and reception. But the event was reminiscent of...

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Last year, Sen. John McCain urged his friend, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, to push for campaign finance reforms in California in 2006. But the governor has spent much of his time talking about building highways, levees and schools, not restraining the flow of campaign dollars. On Monday, the Republican senator known for trying to slow runaway political spending in Congress was set to help the governor raise money for his re-election bid at a fundraiser with tickets priced up to $100,000. The closed-door event was being hosted by donors among the entertainment and business elite, including "The...