With blessings from the White House and urgings from Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has decided to end its seven-year ban on accepting donations from lobbyists and political action committees for conventions in time for its 2016 event.

The change in policy will also allow monies from PACs and lobbyists to go into accounts shared between the DNC and presidential campaigns.

The DNC had refused such contributions under President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to change Washington’s big-money culture. Clinton, however, is worried about Jeb Bush’s fundraising efforts, and reportedly felt the rules put the DNC at a disadvantage she could not afford, assuming she becomes the party’s nominee, according to The New York Times.

The DNC will continue to refuse lobbyist and PAC money for its general fundraising efforts.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

DNC Lifts Ban on Convention Fund-Raising (by Maggie Haberman, New York Times)

Obama’s No-Money-From-Lobbyists Policy? Democratic Party Says Fuggedaboutit (by Jennifer Epstein, Bloomberg)