Campaign finance reformers organized a protest of big money in politics before an elite fundraiser that this computer executive threw for Bush in ‘99. Culbertson called the protest “unmitigated nonsense” because he said the event offered a chance for anyone—not just contributors—to meet Bush. In fact, after the event was rescheduled (so Bush could rush to South Carolina to head off a McCain primary threat), the fundraiser made clear that only “Host Committee Members” who contributed $10,000 would press Bush’s flesh. When the rabble who just contributed $1,000 got wind of it, they crashed the party.