After last year's Washington Post “salons” sparked controversy for promising access to government officials and journalists for a price, any similar event is bound to get scrutiny.

Such has happened, at least as far as Politico is concerned. Politico contends that a Post event next week with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and White House economist Austan Goolsbee comes close to an ethical conflict as it charges for access. Dubbed “The Business of the Beltway,” it is slated for Tuesday in nearby Virginia.

" ... the general public is not invited to attend," Politico writes. “Rather, a select group of civic, business and political leaders were invited to plunk down $175 to rub elbows with the high-ranking officials as well as Post Publisher Katharine Weymouth and Editor Marcus Brauchli.That has Accuracy in Media Editor Cliff Kincaid questioning the arrangement.”

“It looks like you have to be an insider to attend, and that category most likely includes lobbyists, association executives and other high rollers. This event is not journalism in any way. It is selling access to the Post and politicians for a profit,” Kincaid said in a statement to Politico.

But Post spokeswoman Kris Coratti defended the plan in a statement: “This is a public event. We're doing a live webcast, and we are taking questions from readers. It's all on the record. We advertised it to the public in the newspaper. We have multiple sponsors.”