BIG NAMES COME OUT AS ATTORNEY GENERAL RAISES $100K AT K STREET FUNDRAISER

For a guy who is still “not” running for governor in 2010, Attorney General Henry McMaster sure is raising a lot of loot and winning a number of key allies. At an April 1 fundraiser held at the historic Roosevelt House in Washington, DC — the private residence of President Theodore Roosevelt located in the heart of “K Street” — McMaster reportedly hauled in close to $100,000.

The event was organized and sponsored by DC GOP power-player Scott Reed (pictured above), who managed Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign and served as Chief of Staff for the Republican National Committee during the 1994 “Republican Revolution.” Reed also ran the Department of Housing and Urban Development for Jack Kemp during the presidency of George H. W. Bush.

Those of note participating and attending included Jack Kemp, former Navy Secretary Will Ball, former Virginia Attorney Jerry Kilgore and veteran GOP media consultant Rick Reed. Reed produced the famous (or infamous) “Swift Boat Veterans For Truth” ads during the 2004 presidential election.

Representatives from Bridgestone America, AT&T, the US Chamber of Commerce, RJ Reynolds, the National Rifle Association, FedEx, American Trucking Association, American Gas Association, DuPont and CVS were also among the many corporations, trade groups and law firms at McMaster’s fundraiser.

Many South Carolinians living and working in DC reportedly stopped by to visit including Elizabeth Dial, senior staffer from the White House, Garr Karr, executive with Edelman Worldwide and former press secretary to Gov. David Beasley, former SCGOP Chairman Van Hipp, Butch Bowers from the Justice Department who is also the former SC Election Commission Chairman, and Britton Clarke, the former top aide to Speaker David Wilkins.

Sen. Lindsey Graham and Congressman Jim Clyburn also made brief appearances.

Of course, while all these rich and powerful folks are great, the only name on the impressive guest list that was any major importance to me was Miss South Carolina USA 2007 Ashley Zais — not to be confused with her teen counterpart Lauren Caitlin Upton. Zais, a Wofford College grad from Newberry, placed in the top 15 in last year’s Miss USA pageant, but finished first in the race for my heart.

From what I hear, this is expected to be the first of many big McMaster fundraisers. All of those are for his “Attorney General campaign,” of course. I just hope all of them feature Zais.