DEMOCRATS EXPECT FLAK OVER FUND-RAISING RETREAT.

Byline: Nancy Mathis Houston Chronicle

As the White House braced for criticism, President Clinton on Friday began an ``autumn retreat'' with 70 Democratic Party donors who paid $50,000 each to spend two days with senior administration officials.

The Democratic Party refused to divulge the names of those attending the session, described as 50 donors and about 20 spouses, who gathered at a Ritz Carlton Hotel on Florida's Amelia Island off the coast of Jacksonville.

Never before have a president and vice president gathered for such an exclusive session with major party contributors. This ``autumn retreat'' also comes amid congressional and federal investigations into campaign finance irregularities from the 1996 presidential campaign.

``The event represents the buying and selling of access to the highest officials of the land, and is an affront to average Americans whose annual family income is much less than the price of admission,'' said Ann McBride, president of Common Cause, a citizens' advocacy group.

The weekend event plans feature seminar sessions Saturday with Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, White House Counselor Doug Sosnik, White House political director Craig Smith and intergovernmental deputy director Lynn Cutler.

Melissa Bonney, spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, said the event will raise $2.5 million to $3 million for the DNC.

The Democratic Party remains mired in debt, about $15 million, from the campaign finance scandal that required the party to return millions of dollars in improper donations.

Bonney and White House spokesman Mike McCurry blamed current law for forcing them to seek out such large donations.

``It's frustrating because we have to play by the rules as they exist. We have to stay competitive. We can't just unilaterally disarm and let the Republicans have even more of a financial advantage than they have already,'' Bonney said.

She said the Democrats have a self-imposed $100,000 limit on individual contributions while Republicans have accepted as much as $1 million.

``They already outspend us. We need to do everything we can to make sure Democrats are elected in the 1998 elections so we can get campaign finance reform. The Republicans have done everything they can to block it. The only way we are going to be able to achieve reform is to elect more Democrats,'' Bonney said.

McCurry dismissed complaints from Common Cause's McBride. ``I think she says that every time we have a fund-raiser, so nothing new there,'' McCurry said.

McCurry denied access was being sold to the largest donors.

``You can say that same thing any time there is a fund-raiser,'' McCurry said. ``And most of you do say that every time there is an event. That's the nature of the system. It's the way in which fund-raising works.''

McCurry said the president ``sees this as an opportunity to share views with those who are supportive of the party. It's a setting that, obviously it's not as customary as a normal fund-raising setting, but it's one that the president thinks will be enjoyable for him, enjoyable for the people who are participating and will lead to the kind of interesting discussions that are going to be held that you will cover.''

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PHOTO President Clinton speaks Friday during one of a series of weekend fund-raisers in Florida expected to boost Democratic coffers.

Associated Press