A year and counting: DNC to mark announcement anniversary

Steve Kerrigan, CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee, will hold a media briefing Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the announcement that Charlotte will host this year's Democratic National Convention.

Kerrigan will talk to local reporters at his uptown office. He's expected to recount some of the year's milestones, including this month's announcement that the convention will be shortened from four to three days and that President will give his acceptance speech to Bank of America Stadium.

"What a year this has been, " Kerrigan said last week.

Added Mayor Anthony Foxx: "Feb. 1, 2011, will go down as an inflection point in Charlotte's history, completing our transition from 'the little city that could' to the big city that did."

Convention officials say today's will be the first of a regular series of media briefings.

Kerrigan 'educates' DC donors

Republicans cried hypocrisy last week when Politico ran an item that suggested the Democratic convention might be looking for money from Washington’s influential K Street lobbying firms.

Self-imposed party rules for this year’s convention bar contributions from lobbyists and corporations.

Politico Influence, a section dedicated to coverage of Capitol Hill lobbying, reported that “Paper has been circulated on K Street on the Charlotte 2012 Convention Host Committee’s fundraising packages … The four-page document … was distributed after an inside-the-Beltway meeting Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Steve Kerrigan held before the holidays.”

The packages, on which The Observer has reported, offer premium levels – including choice hotel rooms – in return for contributions.

Convention officials say Kerrigan was not soliciting lobbyists. Host committee spokeswoman Suzi Emmerling said Kerrigan was “educating Beltway types about the new rules.”

“Because this is the first convention in history that will not accept monetary contributions from lobbyists, corporations and PACs (political action committees), a big part of our fundraising effort is educating donors…,” Emmerling said.

Said state GOP spokesman Rob Lockwood: “If this event is solely funded ‘by the people,’ (Democratic) Chairwoman (Debbie Wasserman-) Schultz must have meant, ‘the people of K Street.’” Jim Morrill

Convention organizers going to all 100 N.C. counties in search of 'ambassadors'

The Democratic National Convention Committee said today it plans to launch "a community outreach campaign" to all 100 N.C. counties.

In January and February, the committee representatives will spread across the state talking about the convention and identifying 100 Convention Community Organizers to serve as "ambassadors" for the convention in their counties. The convention will be held in Charlotte Sept. 3-6.

“With the 100 County Plan, we hope to .... gather ideas to help ensure that this Convention is truly representative of the state of North Carolina, and reflective of the ideas of its citizens,” convention CEO Steve Kerrigan said in a statement.

Convention officials say the plan is designed to promote next year's convention as a state-wide event, help recruit volunteers and encourage businesses to use the convention's vendor directory. Officials plan to announce the 100 County Community Organizers in March. Jim Morrill