However, Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has now vowed to increase party fund-raising by $100 million in 2004 to fill the gap.

The rules that govern party fund-raising require that donors be disclosed.

Another difficulty is that party fund-raising to benefit House candidates, while better than the Democrats' performance, has not met expectations.

It would ban open-ended party fund-raising from corporations, unions and rich donors and place restrictions on use of such money for television ads by independent groups.

She said that this week, party fund-raising actually picked up.

He was never prosecuted for any crime, either, though he spent five months in jail while a magistrate pursued an inquiry into his role in party fund-raising.

The Democrats were particularly incensed over the F.B.I. raid on the party's headquarters on March 2, during which agents seized documents related to party fund-raising.

There is nothing unusual about a president or his cabinet becoming involved in party fund-raising.

Democrats, who are behind in party fund-raising and are operating several large 527 groups, may be particularly vulnerable.

Democratic strategists created several new 527's this year as an answer to the Republicans' superior party fund-raising.