Leo Hindery, the wealthy New York businessman whose friendship with former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) helped derail Daschle’s bid to join President Barack Obama’s Cabinet this week, was a generous donor to Congressional Democrats in the 2008 election cycle.

According to CQ MoneyLine, Hindery gave at least $251,300 to Democratic candidates, political action committees and 527s with federal campaign accounts, including $28,500 each to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Senate recipients of Hindery’s largess were: Sens. Dick Durbin (Ill.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Mary Landrieu (La.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.) and Mark Udall (Colo.).

Hindery was also a donor to the campaign account and the recount fund of Minnesota Senate candidate Al Franken, whose race remains undecided three months after Election Day.

Hindery also contributed to the Searchlight Leadership Fund, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (Nev.) PAC; a joint fundraising committee operated by Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (Mont.) and House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (N.Y.); and Rangel’s National Leadership PAC.

House recipients of Hindery campaign contributions were Rep. Paul Hodes (N.H.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), who was re-elected to the House in 2008 but was appointed to the Senate last month.

Hindery also gave to then-Rep. Tom Allen (Maine), who ran unsuccessfully for Senate last cycle, former Colorado state Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, who lost a Democratic primary to replace Udall in the House, and Mike Lumpkin, who ran unsuccessfully for an open seat in California’s 52nd district.

Roskam Picked to Chair NRCC Event

The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Wednesday that Rep. Peter Roskam (Ill.) will chair the committee’s annual dinner in March.

The fundraising event will be held on March 24 at the National Building Museum. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) is the keynote speaker.

Roskam was first elected in his suburban Chicago district in 2006, becoming one of the few Republicans who won hotly contested races that year. Since coming to Congress, he has been viewed as one of the GOP’s rising stars, and earlier this year he was given a coveted seat on the Ways and Means Committee.

“We’re working to create an innovative and interactive event to foster a dialogue between House Members and NRCC supporters about how best to rebuild our party,” Roskam said in a news release. “It’s an exciting time and I look forward to this challenge.”

Roskam will be aided by a group of 33 team captains representing different regions of the country.