Story highlights
Hillary Clinton, facing a prolonged primary, continues to be diverted from the trail to attend big-dollar fundraisers
She raised more than $30 million at fundraisers she headlined over the first three months of the year
Clinton will appear twice with actor George Clooney
Hillary Clinton and family are spending much of April on the fundraising circuit.
The Democratic front-runner will travel to Florida on Tuesday to raise money, headlining three fundraisers in the Sunshine State in the middle of her fight to win the New York primary on April 19. Former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton have five more events scheduled this month as well.
The events highlight an issue for Clinton: In order to raise the money needed to keep her campaign on track, Clinton has to invest considerable time by making personal appearances at events across the country.
From January to March, Clinton-headlined events – 48 fundraisers in 19 different states – brought in more than $30 million, according to CNN estimates. Overall, Clinton’s campaign says it raised $75 million during the first three months of 2016.
All of these events raised primary dollars, money that Clinton will need to compete in the longer-than-expected race against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a candidate who raises most of his money online and he used Clinton’s fundraising as something with which to attack the former secretary of state. These funds will also, though, be available for Clinton’s possible general election campaign.
Sanders and his top aides have insinuated that Clinton’s fundraising makes her susceptible to being influenced by powerful interests that choose to donate to her campaign. Sanders said earlier this month that Clinton’s fundraising from Wall Street and other interests is one of the reasons the former secretary of state is not qualified to be president. He later backed off the claim.
Clinton’s most high profile of the fundraising of the month will come this weekend when the former senator travels to California for two events with George Clooney, the famed actor, and his wife Amal, a renowned human rights lawyer.
Clinton’s first event with the Clooneys will be hosted by Shervin Pishevar, a venture capitalist who is the founder of Sherpa Ventures and is a special adviser to Uber. More than 1,000 Sanders supporters have said on Facebook that they plan to protest outside Pishevar’s home during the fundraiser. Clinton and the Clooneys will then travel to Los Angeles, where the actor will host guests at his Studio City home for another fundraiser.
Raising money for the DNC
Clinton starts her fundraising day Tuesday with an event at the Manalapan, Florida, home of Marsha and Henry Laufer, the VP of research at Renaissance Technologies.
This event will also benefit the Hillary Victory Fund, the joint fundraising venture between Clinton’s campaign, the DNC and state parties that allow Clinton to raise money for down-ballot Democrats. Clinton backers have touted the events - and the fact Clinton is raising money for other Democrats - as a notable difference to Sanders, who has, to date, raised close to nothing for the party.
The Clooney events will also benefit the Hillary Victory Fund.
Sanders aides did not respond to comment when asked why they have not raised money for the Democratic National Committee or state parties.
Clinton then heads to Miami, where she will headline an event with Rep. Joaquin Castro, a key Latino surrogate and the brother of HUD Secretary Julian Castro, someone many Democrats believe could be Clinton’s running mate. The event includes a performance by singer Carole King.
And lastly, Clinton will headline an event at the Miami Beach home of Alex Heckler, a government law attorney and well known Democratic donor, and his wife, Tiffany.
Clinton has so far headlined seven fundraisers in April, including three in New York, and one each in Colorado, Ohio, New Jersey and Virginia.
She attended two events on Monday in New York, one near her Chappaqua home in Mount Kisco, New York, and another on Long Island in Glen Cove, New York. A fundraiser Sunday at the home of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and first lady Dorothy drew around 525 attendees who paid between $1,000 and $2,700.
Clinton also headlined fundraisers in Ohio and Colorado on April 7, an event in the Bronx on April 5 and a 125 person fundraiser in Tenafly, New Jersey on April 1.
Bill Clinton, top campaign aides also hitting the money circuit
Clinton’s campaign has also started to lean on other members of the political family and top aides to bring in cash.
Bill Clinton will headline fundraising events in Washington, D.C. and Massachusetts this week, as well as an event in Connecticut on April 21, according to invitations obtained by CNN. Chelsea Clinton, the former first daughter, headlined events in Oklahoma and Texas earlier this month and will appear in Pennsylvania and New Jersey later this month.
Huma Abedin, Clinton’s campaign vice chair, and Jake Sullivan, her senior policy aide, will be joined at an fundraiser on April 27 in Washington, D.C., by stars of the TV show “Scandal,” including Tony Goldwyn, Guillermo Diaz and Katie Lowes, according to an invite.
John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, will headline an “evening of conversation and cooking” fundraiser in Brooklyn, New York, on April 14. The event will feature Chef Manuel Berganza, a Michelin starred chef of Andanada restaurant.
Sullivan will also headline a fundraiser in London, England, on April 17. Melanne Verveer, a longtime Clinton aide, will headline a fundraiser in Polanco, Mexico City, on April 28. And Gary Gensler, Clinton’s campaign CFO, will travel to Asia this week to headline one fundraiser in Beijing and another in Hong Kong, according to invitations. Events held in foreign countries are targeted at American citizens living abroad – donations from non-U.S. citizens are prohibited.
CNN’s Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.