Republican chairman skips fundraiser

The "gala" fundraiser for the California Republican Party last night in Beverly Hills was absent one important guest: the chairman of the California Republican Party.

The event featuring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was organized to help the GOP retire some of its $4.5 million in debt from the 2006 election. The Republican governor agreed to host two fundraisers for the financially struggling party, but the first one in Sacramento was canceled two weeks ago for lack of interest. The Beverly Hilton event, according to one Republican source, was pared down as well.

The new state chairman, Ron Nehring, was in Germany visiting relatives for his birthday. He just turned 37. And he is attending the St. Gallen Symposium in Switzerland, which is a sort of mini Davos conference from May 31 to June 2 that promotes the "interfaces between business, politics and society," according to the group.

That means he'll also miss the next California GOP fundraiser, in Napa.

The St. Gallen forum is chaired by Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, who also is a vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International, and this year features multiple seminars on energy, water and the exploitation of natural resources. Judging from some of the panel participants, they are for it. Seyed Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran (pictured), is a featured speaker, along with various business and political leaders, and oil and steel barons. International buffet at 8 p.m.

Nehring said he was using a ticket purchased with frequent-flyer mileage that was difficult to change.

"Today is my birthday (37th) and I travel each May in conjunction with my birthday, and visiting with family overseas," Nehring said in an email. "This trip is part vacation, visiting with family in Germany, and part participating in the St. Gallen Symposium in St. Gallen, Switzerland next week, as I have every year since 2003."

(Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)