Politico examines the soft-money loophole allowing corporations to funnel millions of dollars to party conventions today. The article highlights a recent Campaign Finance Institute report that details how Sen. Norm Coleman and Gov. Tim Pawlenty have led the drive to raise $58 million for the Republican National Convention. "Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — a rumored vice presidential campaign contender for McCain — is literally trading promises of access to party bigwigs and elected officials in exchange for donations to the Republican convention host committee," Politico concludes.

As evidence it produces talking points that were assembled for Pawlenty in pitching Cargill CEO Warren Staley on a donation. Among the benefits promised in the document: a chance for Cargill to “connect with influential government officials (Cabinet, president, next president)." Apparently the pitch worked: Cargill is among 67 organizations listed as donors on the host committee’s web site.

The Politico story also points out that Republicans initially offered contributors of more than $5 million a dinner with Congressional bigwigs, a private party with Pawlenty, Coleman and other elected officials, and a golf outing with Republican leaders during the convention. But after a public outcry about the explicit swapping of dollars for access, the offers were scrapped.