Fund Raising

The Republican National Committee pulled in $5.1 million during Michael S. Steele's first month as chairman. The February sum is roughly the same as what the party raised in January before Steele was elected. It's also comparable to the amount Democrats collected in February 2005 when they were out of power in Congress and coming off a losing presidential election -- just as Republicans are now. Overall numbers released Wednesday show the RNC has $24 million in the bank and no debt.

"I'm very sorry for the late start," Steve Martin said as he took a seat onstage Monday night at Club Nokia at L.A. Live. "If I were you, I'd hate me by now." Judging by the burst of laughter, all was forgiven -- even though the proceedings were a bit bumpy at the L.A. Public Library's first fundraiser in the downtown entertainment center. VIPs got stuck on the sidewalk, all but missing a pre-party; crowds bottlenecked at entryways; and the show was delayed 30 minutes. But people had paid $25 to $250 to see Martin talk and play banjo, and they weren't going to let a few snafus ruin the evening.

L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art says it has raised $56.9 million in the six months since it accepted a helping hand from Eli Broad. Broad has anted up more than half the $56.9 million himself through the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, which pledged $30 million in December as the cornerstone of MOCA's self-rescue plan. The remaining $26.9 million includes $16.4 million in special rescue-giving from members of MOCA's board, $1.9 million in regular board giving toward ongoing operations, $3 million in gifts from patrons who aren't board members, and $5.6 million collected from various other sources, including corporate donations, fundraising events, and the fees that rank and file art lovers pay when they join as museum members The $56.9 million total, however, depends on a certain amount of chicken counting of unhatched eggs.

Dismissing a claim that Norman Hsu's right to a speedy trial had been violated because California authorities didn't fully pursue him after he fled from justice 16 years ago, a San Mateo County judge on Friday sentenced the former Democratic fundraiser to three years in prison for fraud. Hsu faces a number of other legal troubles. Last month a federal grand jury in New York indicted Hsu, 56, on charges of operating a large new Ponzi scheme and making illegal campaign contributions to Sen.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton reported a $1.1-million fundraising boost from her Democratic primary win in New Hampshire, and other top finishers in both political parties got big infusions of campaign money, virtually guaranteeing that the 2008 presidential campaign will exceed its already high-priced expectations. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who finished second behind Arizona Sen.

Republican presidential candidates, losing the fundraising advantage their party has enjoyed for decades, are starting to feel the pinch. Tight for cash, Mitt Romney has pulled television advertising in two key states. Rudolph W. Giuliani has cut his payroll and moved staff from states that he is writing off. Even Mike Huckabee, winner of the GOP Iowa caucuses, has fallen short of his fundraising goals.

In those first terrible days, amid all the hugs and tears, all the flowers and casseroles, the telephone rang yet again. This was not another condolence call, a relative or friend comforting Prairie Wilson after her husband, Brian, died of a heart attack at 33. This was a bank official, calling to let her know $20,000 had just shown up in the memorial fund established to support her and the three young girls her husband left behind. Brian Wilson worked as a scout for the Cincinnati Reds.

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain raised more than $1 million Tuesday on rival Rudolph W. Giuliani's turf and picked up the endorsement of the former New York mayor's longtime nemesis. Former Sen. Alfonse M. D'Amato (R-N.Y.) switched his allegiance in the presidential race from former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, who abandoned his bid Tuesday, to McCain. D'Amato has long been at odds with Giuliani.

African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma withdrew Wednesday from a charity fundraising banquet honoring former boxer Mike Tyson after being criticized by South African women's groups. Reporters arriving at the event were handed a statement from organizers saying Zuma "had been called away on urgent ANC business." The banquet featured an auction of Tyson items to benefit children's organizations. Women's groups had called on Zuma to withdraw from the event.

More than three years after Fullerton residents raised $3.5 million to save the historic Fox Theatre from the wrecking ball, the 82-year-old structure remains in peril. Despite the efforts of preservationists, the dilapidated one-time vaudeville theater and movie house stands in contrast to the urban hipness that has swept downtown Fullerton, now brimming with upscale restaurants, jazz clubs and a lively street scene.