BIDEN, DNC STRIKE DEAL FOR FUNDRAISING

Joe Biden is expanding his influence over the Democratic Party with a new fundraising deal and a leadership shuffle at the Democratic National Committee.

Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and the DNC on Friday began a joint fundraising pact that will allow wealthy donors to contribute up to $360,600 to the party’s fall campaign, a total far exceeding the $5,600 maximum that donors can give directly to Biden’s campaign. Additionally, longtime Democratic power player Mary Beth Cahill will take over management of the DNC, replacing Seema Nanda as chief executive officer under party chairman Tom Perez. Cahill, who managed John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, already has been a quiet force during Perez’s tenure, leading Democrats’ primary debate process and helping plan the summer convention, among other tasks.

DNC officials and Biden campaign aides confirmed the arrangements Friday.

“Our goal is to ensure that we put Joe Biden in the best position possible to beat Donald Trump, and this joint fundraising agreement allows us to do just that,” Cahill said in a statement Friday. “The DNC has built an organization that has proven it can win up and down the ballot, and that is exactly what we will do in November.”