PHILADELPHIA – Hours before the Democratic National Convention was to reconvene on Wednesday, the president of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Geisha Williams, spoke in personal terms about inspiring Hispanic and Latina women.

The first Latina to head an electric utility, Williams said at the fundraiser in a ballroom in the Loews Hotel that a mentor once asked her “why not” strive to run a utility.

She said she thought to herself, “Why not me?”

Williams told the story to an audience that included several members of Congress. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, were among them.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who is striving to become the first Hispanic woman elected to the U.S. Senate, told the fundraiser for the Poder PAC, whose name means “power” in Spanish, “You’re in here because you’re with us.”

However, government watchdogs say companies such as Pacific Gas and Electric, AT&T and Comcast – all announced as sponsors of the political committee that focuses on electing Latina women to Congress – had more than altruistic reasons for giving thousands of dollars.

Craig Holman, a Washington, D.C., lobbyist for Public Citizen, said monied corporations and special interests use the events, at a minimum, to look good before members of Congress who may influence legislation they’re pushing.

“This is selling access to members of Congress,” he said. “Though the theme of this reception is touted as promoting Latinas for public office … sponsors will usually have their own business interests in mind, which is not likely to be the promotion of Latinas in public office.”

The companies did not immediately comment.

According to marketing materials for the event, sponsors could pay from $5,000 for a Sapphire sponsorship to $20,000 for a Diamond sponsorship, which included a chance to speak.

Hoyer, as he left the event, said he didn’t think those sponsorships bought favor or access. Companies such as AT&T, he said, contribute money to both parties.

“I think people see it as them supporting democracy. I don’t think there’s anything like a quid pro quo,” he said.

Special interest money flowed at events featuring members of Congress throughout the Republican National Convention last week in Cleveland, and it continues to flow in Philadelphia, where Democrats have their turn to cash in.

In addition to the Poder PAC event Wednesday, companies sponsored an fundraiser at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, honoring Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization gave $50,000 to be a “Grand Slam” package sponsor of that event, according to the Center for Public Integrity, an investigative news organization.

Other sponsors — including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Microsoft and Monsanto — donated from $5,000 to $20,000, the center reported.

A Grand Slam sponsorship included batting practice, according to an invitation to the event posted by the Sunlight Foundation, a government transparency group. Members of Congress could step into the batter’s box, as well.

A Center for Public Integrity reporter tweeted a photo of Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., taking batting practice.

A similar event at last week’s Republican convention – sponsored by companies such as Comcast, AT&T, and Microsoft – honored GOP members of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Also in Philadelphia, a Monday night reception honoring Democrats on the House Transportation Committee was sponsored by CSX – a giant rail, container shipping and trucking company.

The company has business before the committee. Last year, for example, CSX Vice President Frank Lonegro testified, asking for the delay of new railway safety rules.

Sponsorship levels at the Monday reception ranged from $2,500 to $15,000.

A CSX spokeswoman declined comment, and it was unclear how much it had paid.

The baseball and transportation events – proceeds of which go to charity – were organized by a company called Dem Convention Strategies. A similar company, GOP Convention Strategies, used the same organizer, LeeAnn Petersen, to stage the baseball event in Cleveland.

Holman said the groups are initiated by lobbyists as “a convenient way to sidestep the ethics constraints” on political money.

Rules in the House of Representatives prohibit members attending events held in their honor, but they may participate in functions that honor a group of lawmakers, such as the Democrats or Republicans on a committee.

Holman said the events provide “free entry for members of Congress, complete with wining and dining, and then charge corporations and lobbyists a huge fee for access to the event and to schmooze with the members.”

“DEM Convention Strategies is masterful at this – charging corporations large fees to enter their so-called ‘charity’ event, providing the corporate sponsors with publicity at the event and in the program, and allowing the corporations that pay more to bring more of their lobbyists to hob-nob with the political elite,” he said.

Doyle denied to the Center for Public Integrity that he and other lawmakers were unduly influenced by the fundraiser.

“It’s frustrating that people think we are somehow influenced by that,” said Doyle, who represents a Pittsburgh-area district and was described as wearing khaki shorts, a black Pittsburgh Pirates T-shirt and a yellow Pirates baseball cap.

“It’s really easy to believe that there’s always something bad going on,” he said.

Kery Murakami is the Washington, D.C. reporter for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach him at kmurakami@cnhi.com