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NEW YORK With its star-studded cast of attendees, its plush setting at the famed downtown Cipriani, and its strict no-media rules, the Clinton Foundations annual gala could hardly be coming at a worse moment for Hillary Clinton before she launches her all-but-certain presidential campaign.

The presumptive Democratic presidential frontrunner is set to attend the Wednesday-night event full of donors amid controversies about her use of a personal email address as secretary of state and the foundations own fundraising practices and oversight. Clinton did not address either matter in a widely anticipated speech in Washington on Tuesday night. And as the foundations high-profile event on Wednesday is closed to the press, she is not expected to start defending herself in this appearance.

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But the scene close to Wall Street and likely to include banking industry officials alongside former Clinton administration honchos and other friends of Bill and Hillary seems destined to highlight some of the less flattering aspects of Clintons potential candidacy, including the common critique that she has so far spent more time thus far behind closed doors with bigwigs than with voters.

Tickets to the affair start at $2,500, with Gala Leadership Committee levels starting at $25,000. The foundation has accelerated its fundraising to build an endowment in advance of a possible Clinton presidential campaign.

Its not the best timing, said one Democratic operative close to Clintons emerging campaign team, noting that the event was likely in the Wall Street space for security purposes, and that it had been planned for months. But its also nothing new.

The event will almost certainly provide Clinton with a chance to allay some recent concerns coming from donors personally. Friends and supporters have questioned her decision to delay the start to her much-anticipated presidential campaign, especially because it leaves her without a full political staff to handle mounting questions about her personal email account, among other controversies.

One major New York-based Democratic donor said Clintons herky-jerky start is causing concern in the citys influential donor community.

This email cockup is not going to go away, the donor said, echoing a sentiment voiced by a wide range of Clintons backers.

While a network of pro-Clinton groups and her aides have pushed back forcefully in the face of Republican fire, Clinton defied the expectation of some of her allies that she would address the controversies in front of a friendly audience at the EMILYs List gala on Tuesday in Washington.

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Hillary Clinton's awkward Wall St. gala