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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| How eight elite San Francisco families funded Gavin Newsom's political ascent |
| 2018-09-08 |
| [LATimes] Gavin Newsom wasn’t born rich, but he was born connected ‐ and those alliances have paid handsome dividends throughout his career. A coterie of San Francisco’s wealthiest families has backed him at every step of his political rise, which in November could lead next to his election as governor of California. San Francisco society’s "first families" ‐ whose names grace museum galleries, charity ball invitations and hospital wards ‐ settled on Newsom, 50, as their favored candidate two decades ago, said Willie Brown, former state Assembly speaker and former mayor of the city. "He came from their world, and that’s why they embraced him without hesitancy and over and above everybody else," said Brown, who is a mentor to Newsom. "They didn’t need to interview him. They knew what he stood for." A Times review of campaign finance records identified eight of San Francisco’s best-known families as being among Newsom’s most loyal and long-term contributors. Among those patrons are the Gettys, the Pritzkers and the Fishers, whose families made their respective fortunes in oil, hotels and fashion. They first backed him when he was a restaurateur and winery owner running for county supervisor in 1998, and have continued their support through the governor’s race. They are not Newsom’s largest donors: The families in total have given about $2 million of the $61 million that donors have contributed to his campaigns and independent committees backing those bids. But they gave while he was a relative unknown, providing crucial support to a political newcomer in the years before his campaign accounts piled high with cash from labor unions, Hollywood honchos, tech billionaires and donors up and down the state. Now the families appear poised to see their investments pay off. These donors are mostly liberal, inspired by Newsom’s history as an early supporter of progressive causes, including same-sex marriage as San Francisco mayor in 2004. But some are Republicans, including President Trump’s new ambassador to Austria, who are drawn by Newsom’s background as a small businessman. The front-runner’s opponents have attacked him for his connections. During the primary, two of his Democratic rivals, Antonio Villaraigosa and John Chiang, painted Newsom as the beneficiary of wealth and privilege. John Cox, his GOP opponent in the November election, reiterated the theme in a new website titled "Fortunate $on." And an independent expenditure committee supporting the Republican spent a quarter-million dollars late last month on an ad calling Newsom "a child of privilege, his path greased by family and political connections and billionaire patrons." Hat tip to Drudge for an interesting article from the LA Times, of all sources, on the California gubernatorial race. Newsom is slime but it seems he has some very rich and powerful backers. Much more at the link including great pictures of the guy hobnobbing with San Fran's upper crust. If you like San Francisco, you're gonna love Newsom. |
| Posted by:Abu Uluque |
| #2 Looks like it, 3dc. Click on the link to the article, scroll down and there is a graphic that shows how much each family member donated to Newsom's campaigns. JB Pritzker donated $1,250, not as much as some of the others but it also looks like he spends a lot on food. Maybe also kind of a carpet bagger in Illinois if his family is from San Francisco. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2018-09-08 09:48 |
| #1 The same Pritzkers as this fat guy running for gov. in IL? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2018-09-08 01:18 |