Former Univison Chairman A. Jerrold Perenchio, MGM Chairman Harry Sloan and eight others promised to raise $250,000 each. According to the invitation, they will "receive a Private Greet with Senator McCain, a Private Reception with Photo Opportunity and Premier Seating at Dinner." Eleven others pledged to raise $125,000 each, while 16 others promised to raise between $43,100 and $86,200.
"All the events are in the seven-figure range," said a member of McCain's fundraising committee, who was not authorized to speak for the campaign and therefore asked for anonymity. Pointing to the cost of the fall campaign, the person said: "The only way you will get there is to have people write these larger checks."
To attract high-rollers to Spanos' estate, Schwarzenegger was a featured guest, as was former Gov. Pete Wilson. Florida real estate entrepreneur Mel Sembler, former ambassador to Italy and a longtime friend of Spanos, was one of 13 co-chairs, a designation indicating that each had raised $25,000 minimum.
"The RNC's job, first and foremost, above all else, is to elect a president," Sembler said. "Everything else is secondary. Nothing is more important. Nothing else takes precedence."
Sembler, a former RNC finance chairman, and his family have given more than $1 million in the last decade to Republican candidates and causes, and at least $20,700 to McCain this year.
As McCain has solidified his position as the presumptive nominee, major GOP donors are giving the maximum to the RNC and to McCain.
Daniel F. Akerson, managing director of buyout giant Carlyle Group, gave $28,500 to the RNC last month; his wife, Karin Akerson, gave $2,300 to McCain. Chevron Chairman David O'Reilly also gave $28,500 to the party, Federal Election Commission records show.
Hedge fund mogul Paul E. Singer had been onetime front-runner Rudolph W. Giuliani's major Wall Street fundraiser, generating at least $480,000 for Giuliani.
After Giuliani dropped out in early February, Singer signed on with McCain. He gave $28,500 to the RNC on April 25, and $2,300 to McCain on April 30. He and partners at his Elliott Associates and their families gave $400,000 to the RNC and $14,800 to McCain in March and April, campaign finance reports show.
The Michigan-based DeVos family, which controls Alticor, the parent of Amway, are major patrons to conservative causes and charities. They backed Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and, since he left the race, the DeVos family has donated at least $57,000 to McCain and $50,000 to the RNC.
