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Delegates may have outnumbered Wall Street Investment bankers last week on the floor of the Democratic National Convention, but the bond dealers who came to Madison Square Garden were more concerned about making the gathering's A-list of parties.

One person never far from Gov. Bill Clinton, the party's nominee, was another native son of Arkansas, J. Chester Johnson, president of Government Finance Associates Inc.

Both Mr. Johnson, who served in the Carter administration, and his wife, Freda S. Johnson, know the Clintons and have been fund-raising for the candidate's campaign.

"Both of us have not participated before," said Mr. Johnson, who grew up in Monticello near the Arkansas-Louisiana border and now heads the New York City-based financial adviser. "This is sort of the inaugural for us."

He would not specify exactly how much money he has raised from among his Wall Street friends, saying only that the amount is more than $10,000 and less than $100,000.

While other bond dealers also have raised money for the Clintons, even more from the financial district last week clamored to be invited to the right receptions.

Some firms even underwrote the cost of parties for political candidates.

"Everyone important in politics is there," said one New York investment banker as the convention began. "This is kind of a one-stop shopping where you have candidates from local offices, to every Democratic nominee for governor and Congress, to Bill Clinton."

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