Just when the Democrats should be poised to rake in big bucks to target the scandal-plagued GOP, the Democratic National Committee has quietly accepted the resignation of its top fund-raiser, Maureen White. She is married to Wall Streeter Steven Rattner (who ruffled some feathers by joining Democrats for Bloomberg) and was the chief conduit of New York money. “We’re very grateful to Maureen,” says Howard Dean. Insiders say that Bill Clinton will host a big event in White’s honor in New York on April 10. It’ll be the former president’s first fund-raising event for Dean’s DNC. White raised huge sums for John Kerry and helped the DNC raise an off-year record $51 million in 2005. “Howard wanted to extend her stay as long as possible,” says one DNC-er. The job of chief fund-raiser is an exhausting and intense one, knowledgeable sources say, and after four and a half years, White decided she’d grown weary of her central role, though she’ll continue to help the party. A successor to White has not yet been named.

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