Utilizing the available star power, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sent out a fundraising plea signed by presidential nominee Barack Obama yesterday seeking contributions he promised would "remake the electoral map and create a governing majority that will transform this country."

Obama, who has already raised somewhere north of $300 million and will likely have his best fundraising month to date this month after securing the nomination, is helping another financial heavyweight. The DCCC finished April with $45.2 million in the bank, much higher than their Republican counterparts, who ended with just $6.7 million on hand. Both parties spent heavily in early May on special elections in Louisiana and Mississippi, both of which Democrats won.

Obama's solicitation on behalf of the committee comes a week after his campaign effectively took over operations at the Democratic National Committee, which resides in the same building south of the Capitol. Obama banned contributions from lobbyists and PACs to his own campaign, and the DNC followed suit, but the DCCC and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have so far refused to do so.

Some Democratic candidates have been critical of the move, saying it puts them in the awkward position of having to explain why they accept donations from special interest groups, even in an era when campaigns cost more than ever.

National Republicans are only too happy to oblige. "It is the height of hypocrisy for Barack Obama to solicit campaign contributions on behalf of the very same campaign committee that opposes his position of refusing lobbyist donations," NRCC spokesman Ken Spain said in a statement released this morning. "It appears that Democrats want to have it both ways; they want to run on a platform of so-called 'change' while simultaneously shaking down Washington lobbyists before they bash them on the campaign trail."

Fundraising reports for May's activity are due June 20, while money raised from Obama's solicitation won't show up in FEC reports until July 20.