6 Trump picks, their families gave $11.6M to campaign, RNC
With his choice of restaurant executive Andrew Puzder to serve as his labor secretary, President-elect Donald Trump has now tapped six big donors and fundraisers to serve in his administration, lining up an unprecedented concentration of wealthy backers for top posts.
Together with their families, Trump’s nominees gave $11.6 million to support his presidential bid, his allied super PACs and the Republican National Committee, according to federal campaign filings.
It’s not unusual for top presidential donors and bundlers to land plum assignments after an election. Ambassadorships to sought-after locales, such as London and Paris, are usually reserved for big money players. In recent administrations, senior campaign fundraisers have been chosen for commerce secretary: Penny Pritzker under President Barack Obama, Don Evans under President George W. Bush, Ronald Brown under President Bill Clinton, and Robert Mosbacher under President George H.W. Bush.
But longtime watchers of money in politics cannot recall any president in recent history who has filled a Cabinet with so many major donors.
“In the past, they were a little hidden — they were sent overseas to be ambassadors,” said David Donnelly, president of Every Voice, an advocacy group that seeks to reduce the influence of wealthy donors on politics. “In this administration, they are going to be front and center making policy.”
Fred Wertheimer, president of the watchdog group Democracy 21, said Trump’s choices raise questions about his pledge to “drain the swamp.”
“This is bound to result in all kinds of conflict and appearances of conflicts in terms of the financial interests of the people being appointed to high positions,” he said.
Here’s a breakdown of the donors Trump has tapped for his Cabinet and how much they or their relatives gave:
Administrator, Small Business Administration: Linda McMahon, $7.5M
McMahon, co-founder of the professional wrestling franchise WWE and a former Republican Senate candidate from Connecticut, was the third-biggest financial backer of Trump’s presidential bid, giving $7.5 million to pro-Trump super PACs, the RNC and his campaign. Between 2007 and 2009, she and her husband, Vince, gave $5 million to Trump’s charitable foundation.
Education secretary: Betsy DeVos, $1.8M
The Michigan billionaire philanthropist and her husband, Richard, whose father was the co-founder of Amway, are major conservative donors and GOP contributors. The couple gave nearly $317,000 to the Republican National Committee this cycle. Altogether, the DeVos family contributed a total of $1.8 million this cycle to the party and Trump’s campaign.
Deputy commerce secretary: Todd Ricketts, $1.3M
TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts — father of Todd Ricketts, a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs — gave $1 million to Future45, a super PAC that spent lavishly for Trump in the final weeks of the campaign. He and his wife, Marlene, also contributed nearly $343,000 to support Trump’s campaign and the Republican Party.
Treasury secretary: Steven Mnuchin, $425k
Mnuchin served as Trump’s national finance chairman, helping organize dozens of high-dollar campaign fundraisers across the country. The former Goldman Sachs executive and hedge fund manager also personally contributed $425,000 to the campaign and party.
Labor secretary: Andrew Puzder, $332k
Puzder, who runs CKE Restaurants, parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., served on the Trump Victory committee as one of his top fundraisers in California.
Commerce secretary: Wilbur Ross, $200k
The billionaire investor was an early financial supporter of Trump’s campaign. Ross opened his Southampton, N.Y., estate for one of the campaign’s first fundraisers, which cost $25,000 a head. Ross personally contributed $200,000.