61.   Lawmakers also used the money for consultants, transfers to national party committees and get-out-the-vote efforts.

62.   Lots of California fun, say the Democratic and Republican national committees, but we want only our own partisans to choose the delegates who nominate a presidential candidate.

63.   Maria Cardona, spokeswoman for the national committee, said three more concert fund-raisers are scheduled this year.

64.   Money raised by national party committees is used primarily to promote congressional candidates and is in addition to money the candidates raise themselves.

65.   National political committees and other organizations that distribute money to candidates are not covered, leaving Cellucci free to refuse a Globe request for the list of donors.

66.   Norcross, the national committee member, insisted that this was not all bad news.

67.   Numerous Senate and House candidates have set up such committees to raise soft money, as have national party committees.

68.   One is Don Schweitzer, a former political director for the national committee and now a private consultant.

69.   One year later the commission widened the loophole by allowing national party committees to accept such money.

70.   Other national committee members and contenders to succeed the outgoing chairman, Haley Barbour, insisted any rifts would quickly close once the leadership battle ends.