At Least 67 Billionaires Made Six-Figure Donations To Committees Supporting Joe Biden In Last 3 Months

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden waves before traveling to Grand Rapids, Michigan, at New Castle County Airport October 2, 2020, in New Castle, Delaware.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Billionaires can’t seem to resist opening their wallets for the guy once dubbed “the poorest man in Congress.” Between July and September at least 67 billionaires and their spouses made contributions of more than $100,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission Thursday.

Those contributions added nearly $20 million to two joint fundraising committees, the Biden Victory Fund and the Biden Action Fund, groups that allow Biden to solicit donations far above the $5,600 contribution limit.

Among the largest donors were Haim Saban and his wife, Cheryl. Together, the Democratic power couple gave a combined $1.5 million. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, teamed up to give $1.4 million. Other big benefactors included Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker and his wife ($1.4 million), Netscape cofounder James Clark and his wife ($1.2 million) and New York real estate heiress Amy Goldman Fowler and her husband ($1.1 million).

Not all the donors were on the same page with their spouses. Jo Carole Lauder, who is married to Trump donor Ronald Lauder, gave another $100,000 to committees supporting Biden. Elaine Wynn, the ex-wife of former Republican National Committee finance chair and Trump donor Steve Wynn, gave $100,000 to Biden Victory.

“As Americans continue to evolve by blending generations of differing and diverse backgrounds, they need to be led in a true and positive spirit of inclusivity,” Elaine Wynn told Forbes. “And, most of all, it is time for women to be granted even more their rightful place in all aspects of public and private life. I am hopeful that all of this will be supported in a Biden-Harris Administration.”

Thomas Secunda, who cofounded Bloomberg LP with former 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, made his first contribution to Biden in September, doling $721,300 to Biden Victory Fund. So did former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who explored his own 2020 presidential bid last year. Notable names from Hollywood joined him. Director and producer Tyler Perry contributed $200,000, production company founder Thomas Tull $711,300 and Star Wars creator George Lucas $360,600. (Mellody Hobson, who is married to Lucas, gave over $300,000 in June and donated another $50,000 in July.)

The Biden Victory Fund reported raising $423.1 million between July and September; in total the group has raised $509.5 million since it launched in April. The Biden Action Fund raised $33.8 million last quarter. It’s raised $45.4 million since it launched in May.

Here’s a closer look at the billionaires (and their spouses) who Forbes found donated more than $100,000 to one of Biden’s high-dollar fundraising committees between July and September.

Haim & Cheryl Saban - $1.5 million

Reed Hastings & Patty Quillin - $1.4 million

J.B. & M.K. Pritzker - $1.4 million

James & Kristy Clark - $1.2 million

Amy Goldman Fowler & Cary Fowler - $1.1 million

Sean & Alexandra Parker - $1.1 million

Howard & Sheri Schultz - $826,900

Thomas Secunda - $721,300

John & Ann Doerr - $715,600

Thomas Tull - $711,300

Tom Steyer & Kat Taylor - $640,600

Stephen & Susan Mandel - $528,045