Politicians Use Potential Shutdown as Fundraiser

Unsurprising, but they use everything as a fundraiser anyway

As a partial shutdown of the federal government looms, both Democrats and Republicans are working to exploit the budget crisis to raise campaign money.

The showdown coincides with the end of third-quarter fundraising period and political candidates, parties and outside groups have made it a theme of their frantic, last-minute pitches for cash.

Democrats, who view a shutdown as one of the best opportunities to retain control of the Senate in 2014 and possibly make gains in the GOP-controlled House, portrayed Republicans as recklessly endangering government operations by using a stopgap spending bill to delay implementation of the Affordable Care Act.