Trumpworld is all in for Ed Gillespie.
A new fundraising report released late last night showed that prominent supporters of President Trump have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Gillespie. In fact, three of Gillespie's top five donors — financier Steve Wynn, White House advisor Paul Atkins and businessman Richard Uihlein — are also major political and financial backers of the President.
The donations from Trump’s political allies were a rare bright spot in what was an otherwise dismal financial report for Gillespie. And the influx of Trump money to the financially beleaguered Gillespie campaign helps explain Gillespie’s stunning refusal to break with the President on issues like Trumpcare and Charlottesville.
Trump donors are well known for using their financial position to punish Republican politicians who break with the President. Wynn (Gillespie’s second biggest donor) infamously used his financial leverage to get Senator Dean Heller to back Trumpcare. The threat worked: Heller, like Gillespie, eventually fell in line behind the President.
“Today’s fundraising report proves that Ed Gillespie’s cash-strapped campaign is now financially dependent on Donald Trump’s closest allies,” said DPVA spokesperson Kevin Donohoe. “This summer, Trump allies seemingly bought Gillespie’s silence on everything from Trumpcare to the President’s response to the violence in Charlottesville. Trump’s pals know that Ed Gillespie will be the President’s lobbyist in Richmond — and that’s why they are investing big in this race.”
STEVE WYNN DONATED $100,000 TO ED GILLESPIE [VPAP, 9/16/17]
Wynn Gave About $1 Million To Trump’s Inauguration. “For last month’s inauguration, Wynn turned party planner and helped secure some of the entertainment. ‘We haven’t added everything up, but it’s $800,000, $900,000 or a $1 million,’ he said of his personal contribution to the event.” [Bloomberg, 2/6/17]
Wynn Was On Trump’s Inaugural Committee. “Billionaire casino moguls Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn have joined President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural committee and will help raise the millions needed to pull off the Jan. 20 event.” [USA Today, 11/15/16]
RICHARD UIHLEIN GAVE $100,000 TO ED GILLESPIE [VPAP, 9/16/17]
The Uihleins Gave Over $600,000 To Trump. “Other highlights: Republican megadonors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein gave a combined $500,000 (Uihlein earlier gave $108,000 to Trump’s campaign and super PACs).” [OpenSecrets, 4/19/17]
Uihlein Was On Trump’s Fundraising Committee. “In Wisconsin, the story is different. The two top Republican donors here, Diane Hendricks and the husband and wife team of Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein, have both joined the leadership of Donald Trump’s fundraising committee after giving to Gov. Scott Walker in the GOP presidential primary.” [USA Today, 8/31/16]
PAUL ATKINS GAVE ED GILLESPIE $50,000 [VPAP, 9/16/17]
Atkins Is Trump’s Leading Adviser On Financial Regulations. “A provision tucked into the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law requiring companies to release a ratio of CEO compensation versus median worker pay has nothing to do with preventing the next financial crisis, said Paul Atkins, former SEC commissioner and President Donald Trump's leading advisor on financial regulations.” [CNBC, 2/7/17] |