Dems Seek Fundraising From Shutdown Threat

Democrats are trying to use the threat of a government shutdown to raise campaign money. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) sent a fundraising appeal Wednesday blaming the budget stalemate on the tea party movement, The Hill reports.

"Tea Party Republicans are threatening to shut down the government on Friday unless we surrender to their outrageous demands," reads the email, written by DCCC chairman and New York Rep. Steve Israel.

The group has set up a "GOP Accountability Fund," asking for small contributions in an effort to gather $50,000 by Friday. That’s "so we can hold Speaker Boehner and his Tea Party fringe Republicans immediately accountable for shutting down the government," the letter says.

Republicans don’t see it that way. "House Democrats are exploiting our financial crisis and using it for political gain, while Republicans are addressing it as an American challenge that calls for placing our nation and our economy ahead of partisanship," National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Joanna Burgos said in a statement.