The Hill News

The top-ranking House Democrat named to the so-called "supercommittee" on deficit reduction defended on Monday continued fundraising by members of the panel during its deliberations.

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the assistant Democratic leader, said that while he has no political fundraisers scheduled on the horizon, he doesn't think the committee's 12 members should have to suspend political fundraising while the group continues its work.

"I think transparency is very very important," he said on MSNBC. "But I've been planning fundraising activities now for months."

Clyburn made reference to charitable fundraising he had helped with recently to help raise money to help students attend college. 

"I don't think I should stop doing that, and these young people are dependent on that to get back in school," he said.

Republicans have raised some pressure on members of the panel to suspend their political activities duri! ng the deliberations of the supercommittee, scheduled to take place throughout the fall. Part of their push is driven by the fact that Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the head of Senate Democrats' campaign committee, was named as one of three upper chamber delegates to the panel.

"My political fundraising, I have not planned anything new. And quite frankly all the fundraising I've been doing is for somebody else," he said. "I don't plan to do anything for myself until later in the year."