In 2008, the FEC permitted Elton John to perform for free at a fund-raising event for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
But the prize for incompetence must go to Daryl Gates, the police chief, who disappeared at the start of the riots to attend a fund-raising event and never properly regained control.
And this March, Kennedy's temper got the best of him when -- rushing for a plane at Los Angeles International Airport after a fund-raising event -- he shoved a security guard who told him his carry-on bag was too large.
He has not publicly called for the elimination of any government agencies (although he reportedly suggested dispensing with Housing and Urban Development at a fund-raising event), but he does want to both cut and cap federal spending, and turn expensive federal programmes such as Medicaid and food stamps into block grants administered by the states.
Gore has insisted he never viewed the gathering at the Hsi Lai Temple as a Democratic fund-raiser, but merely an event to thank past contributors and encourage future fund-raising efforts among the Asian-American community.