Obama Fundraises For House, Senate Dems in Hollywood

President Obama made the rounds in Hollywood in early April to fundraise for House and Senate Democrats.

Obama attended a fundraiser Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn and wife Cindy Horn’s Bel-Air home. It was the 40th Hollywood fundraiser for the president.

Attendees shelled out $66,800 per couple, and included Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow and Disney CEO Bob Iger, according to Deadline. Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams and wife Katie McGrath, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Norman Lear and Lyn Lear, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin were also co-hosts of the fundraiser.

The fundraiser benefitted House Democrats in their effort to recapture the majority. Many political observers believe presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump would hurt more moderate Republican representatives and give Democrats a favorable chance of winning the majority.

House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) chair Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), were expected to attend the event.

The next morning, Obama attended a breakfast at Tobey Maguire and wife Jennifer Meyer’s home to benefit the Democratic Senatorial Committee. Tickets were $33,400 per couple.

 

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Obama, Hollywood Team Up to Recapture House, Senate

President Obama is traveling to Los Angeles to attend fundraisers with some of Hollywood’s biggest Democratic supporters, reports The Hill.

With Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) likely to be the Republican nominee, Democratic operatives and political observers see an opportunity to regain control of the U.S. House and Senate. Many House seats that trend Republican may be more competitive with hardline-conservative Cruz or outspoken, and some would argue offensive, Trump at the top of the ticket. Democrats would need to gain 30 seats to retake the House of Representatives, while only four (or five if a Republican becomes president) to retake majority in the Senate.

With so much at stake, Obama and Democrats are looking to Hollywood for some much needed cash.

On Thursday, The Hill reports Obama, along with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and DCCC chair Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), will attend an event at the home of Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn and wife Cindy, along with Norman and Lyn Lear, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin, “Star Wars: A Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, campaigner Andy Spahn and his wife Jennifer Perry, and Peg Yorkin.

The $15,000-per-couple dinner boosts the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

On Friday, Obama will attend a breakfast fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee at the home of actor Tobey Maguire and wife Jennifer Meyer Maguire. Tickets are $33,400 per couple.

 

A-List Donors Contribute to Bobby Shriver’s LA County Supervisor Bid

Bobby Shriver, former Santa Monica City Councilman and nephew of President John F. Kennedy’s, reported a huge fundraising haul with tons of A-List donors, in his bid for the Los Angeles County supervisor seat, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Hollywood donors include Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jimmy Iovine, Warren Beatty, Jessica Alba, Chris O’Donnell, Rob Lowe, Larry David, Ted Danson, Joan Cusack, Harvey Keitel, Renee Zellweger, Michael Douglas, J.J. Abrams, Rob Reiner and Cameron Crowe. Shriver also took donations from some of Hollywood’s biggest power players, including Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, David Geffen, Bob Iger, Jim Gianopulos, Kevin Tsujihara, HBO’s Michael Lombardo, Disney’s Sean Bailey, 20th Century Fox’s Jennifer Carreras, Alan Horn, and Nicole Avant, according to THR. 

George Soros, Warren Buffett and Steve Bing also contributed.

Last week, Shriver stressed the need to reform the county’s campaign finance laws and criticized the $1.4 million voluntary spending cap. He argued that amount of money wasn’t enough to spread his message, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Shriver, a Democrat, will face Sheila Kuehl, Pamela Conley Ulich and John Duran in the June 3 primary.

 

Updated: Grimes Garners Hollywood Support

UPDATE April 13, 2014: 

The list of Grimes’ Hollywood supporters continues to grow. The Hill reported in late October that Danny DeVito, Jack Black, Jon Hamm, Nicolas Cage, Jerry Seinfeld, Cameron Diaz, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mike Meyers, James Cameron, Steven Speilberg, and J.J. Abrams all gave the maximum $5,200 to Grimes’ campaign. Chris Rock and Ted Danson contributed $5,000. Actor Ben Stiller gave $2,500, Barbra Streisand and Aaron Sorkin contributed $1,000, while Woody Allen and Leonard Nimoy gave $500 each, according to FEC filings.

After a closer look the FEC filings, there are a few more names to add to the list: Nicholas Cage, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Judd Apatow, Rhea Perlman, Mark Burnett, Kate Capshaw, Norman Lear, David Geffen, Ari Emanuel, and Leslie Mann all donating $5,200. Veteran actor Kirk Douglas gave $5,000, Ron Meyer and America Ferrera gave $2,600, Bryan Cranston gave $2,500, Rob Reiner gave $1,250, Renee Zellweger and Kathleen Kennedy gave $1,000, and Nancy Sinatra gave $250.

Stay tuned as more FEC filings become public.

Original post: Sept. 12, 2013

Even though the 2014 elections are more than a year away, Hollywood liberals have already begun fundraising and supporting Democratic candidates. Rising Democratic star and Kentucky Senate candidate, Alison Lundergan Grimes, is the most recent favorite of Hollywood mega-donors.

The Hill reports Dreamworks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg sent an email to prominent Democratic donors stating that there was “no more important election being held next year in this country” and urged donors to support the Kentucky Secretary of State when she travels to California this month.

Katzenberg isn’t the only Hollywood-type to lend his support. Pop star will.i.am. is set to appear at a Grimes fundraiser in coming weeks.

Grimes is running against Republican Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, who is running for a sixth term.

Grimes is the second Democratic candidate to gain Hollywood support for the next election cycle. Newark Mayor Cory Booker (the Democratic candidate in New Jersey’s special election on October 16) has received a large amount of support from the Hollywood community – including fundraisers held by Oprah Winfrey, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and Steven Spielberg.

Democratic supporters hope Hollywood’s interest can bring attention and money to the uphill battle of defeating one of the longest-serving Senators currently in the Senate chamber.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon To Co-Host Fundraiser for Cory Booker

Actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are co-hosting a fundraiser for New Jersey Senate hopeful Cory Booker, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The fundraiser will take place Sept. 23 at host Ron Burkle’s house. Ticket prices range from $1,000 – $10,000 a piece.

Joining the fundraising duo, who previously co-hosted a fundraiser for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, will be Hollywood Democratic heavyweights J.J. Abrams and his wife Katie McGrath, Jennifer Garner, Michael Eisner, Troy Carter, WME co-CEO Patrick Whitesell, talent agency head Bob Gersh, Disney exec Sean Bailey, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and former US Ambassador Nicole Avant, according to THR. Also joining the co-hosts is producer Jerry Weintraub who previously hosted a fundraiser at his house in late April.

This is the latest fundraiser and wave of Hollywood support for Booker, who recently won the Democratic primary in a landslide victory.

Ivanka Trump hosted a fundraiser in July and Oprah Winfrey hosted a fundraiser in early August. Since declaring his candidacy, the Newark Mayor has gained the public support of actresses Kate Mara and Eva Longoria.

Booker will face Republican Steve Lonegan in the special election on October 16, 2013. The seat was previously held by Democrat Sen. Frank Lautenberg who died in June at the age of 89.

Hollywood Fundraising for Cory Booker

Newark Mayor Cory Booker Photo credit: Cory Booker’s Facebook

Although Newark Mayor Cory Booker hasn’t officially declared his Senate candidacy, Hollywood mega-donors are already fundraising for the rising Democratic star.

Industry bigwigs including Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Bruce Willis, Bob Iger, Rob Reiner, J.J. Abrams, Troy Garity and Steve Bing are shelling out $5,000 to support the Senate hopeful, according to THR.

The event will be held at the Beverly Hills mansion of producer Jerry Weintraub on April 25. Both Winetraub and Willis are thought of as more conservative figures in the Hollywood community.

Last month, after serving three decades in the Senate, current New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg announced he would not seek reelection in 2014. Booker is thought to be the favored candidate on the Democratic side.

Obama Has 16-1 Hollywood Fundraising Advantage

As of Oct. 28, President Obama has managed to out-raise Mitt Romney in Hollywood donations at a rate of 16-1, reports TheWrap.com.

A total of 208 “celebrity” donors have given $712,874 to the Obama campaign compared to 15 donors who have given $46,500 to the Romney campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, an organization that tracks donations.

The list of actors, directors and producers that donated least $5,000 include: Cameron Crowe, Will Ferrell, Ron Howard, Scarlett Johansson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, George Clooney, J.J. Abrams, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Brian Grazer, Adrian Grenier, Tom Hanks, Mariska Hargitay, Will Smith, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Quentin Tarantino, Marlo Thomas, Sam Waterston, Ben Stiller, Oprah Winfrey, Kirk Douglas, Hilary Duff, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jack Black, Anne Hathaway, Bette Midler, Tobey Maguire and Rita Wilson.

Other celebrities who donated less than $5,000 include Susan Sarandon, Zach Braff, David Arquette, Martin Scorsese, Don Cheadle and Chevy Chase.

The website also reports that many in the music industry have given $5,000, including Don Henley, Gwen Stefani and Randy Newman – as well as many more who have contributed lesser amounts.

The list also includes authors, athletes and individuals in the fashion industry. This list consists of author Steven King, NBA players Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony and former NBA player Magic Johnson, designer Michael Kors and model Christie Brinkley.

Obama also has a long list of ‘bundlers’ who collect funds from friends, family and associates and then contribute the funds in one large gift.

Some of those that top the list from the industry include Dreamworks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, Harvey Weinstein, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Ron and Kelly Meyer as well as actors Wendell Pierce, Tyler Perry and Eva Longoria.

Many of these individuals collected $500,000 according to the Center for Responsible Politics.

The Romney campaign’s list isn’t as prominent, but still has a few big Hollywood names including  Scott Baio, Jerry Bruckheimer, Neil Simon, Orson Bean, John O’Hurley, Jack Hanna as well as Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.