Wall Street keys Clinton fundraising
‘ Hillblazers’ bundled $ 137M for her bid
Democrat Hillary Clinton’s bid for the presidency has drawn more support from Wall Street fundraisers than President Obama received from the industry four years ago, a new analysis shows.
Clinton’s ranks of elite fundraisers include 201 people who work in the securities and investment sector and dozens of others who work in other areas of finance and commercial banking, according to a tally by the Center for Responsive Politics and USA TODAY.
Together, the broader finance sector has helped collect at least $ 20 million for her presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.
In all, Clinton’s 1,370 fundraisers — dubbed “Hillblazers” by the campaign — have bundled together at least $ 137 million from their friends, family members and business associates to build a money machine that surpasses the fundraising operation that twice helped elect Obama.
Obama relied on just 769 bundlers in his 2012 re- election, 92 of whom came from the securities and investment industry, the center’s data show.
Clinton’s Hillblazers include longtime allies of Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and wealthy Republicans disenchanted with GOP nominee Donald Trump, such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise chief executive Meg Whitman.
The former secretary of State could choose to draw from the ranks of these loyalists as she looks to fill key administration posts and appoint ambassadors.
One Hillblazer, former Interior secretary Ken Salazar, leads the team working on her White House transition.
Clinton’s fundraisers have done more than round up checks on her behalf at Hollywood events and parties in the Hamptons as she and her allies have amassed roughly $ 1 billion for her election through traditional fundraising and seven- and eight- figure donations to super PACs.
Dozens of Clinton bundlers have helped bankroll the leading super PAC working on Clinton’s behalf, Federal Election Commission records show. Billionaire hedge- fund manager S. Donald Sussman has donated $ 19 million to the PAC, Priorities USA Action — including
$ 6 million lastmonth alone— and has emerged as one of Clinton’s largest financial benefactors.
On Tuesday, Priorities officials announced they had raised $ 175 million through Oct. 19, cementing the super PAC’s position as the bestfunded outside group of the 2016 election.
“The next president will be indebted to all of his or her supporters to some degree, but none more than those who have not only given the maximum ( donation) but have rounded up hundreds of thousands or millions more for the campaign,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics.
“This is the primo list of those who will be first in line for plum posts and perks in the next administration,” she said.
Federal law does not require presidential candidates to disclose their bundlers’ identities. Clinton has done so voluntarily. Trump has not disclosed his bundlers.
Clinton aides say she has widespread support. “More than 2.6 million Americans have donated to this campaign because they know Hillary Clinton is the best candidate to bring us toward amore inclusive society with an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top,” said spokesman Josh Schwerin. “It’s unfortunate that Donald Trump has refused to follow Hillary’s lead on being transparent about who is helping raise money for the campaign.”