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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 19 July 2019

Hollywood stars open wallets to Buttigieg’s 2020 campaign

By BRIAN SLODYSKO appears to be surpassing
Associated Press his rivals. During the sec-
WASHINGTON (AP) — A- ond fundraising quarter,
list celebrities seem to be Buttigieg kept up an ag-
opening their hearts — or gressive fundraising sched-
at least their wallets — to ule, often hitting multiple
Pete Buttigieg. events in one day, includ-
The South Bend, Indiana, ing one held by actress
mayor was a virtual un- Gwyneth Paltrow, who
known months ago. But he gave him $2,800.
used breakout town hall He also collected money
performances, viral mo- from Star Trek actor George
ments and his biography Takei ($1,250); DreamWorks
as a millennial, gay mili- co-founder Jeffrey Katzen-
tary veteran and a former berg and his wife, Marilyn
Rhodes scholar to get the ($5,600); Full House star
attention of the entertain- John Stamos ($1,000); ac-
ment industry and rake in tress and singer Barbra Stre-
cash for his 2020 Democrat- isand ($1,000); and come-
ic presidential campaign. dian and writer Larry David
Among the more than 50 ($2,800).
celebrities who gave But- He was also given $5,600
tigieg money during the by Playboy heir Cooper
second quarter are rocker Hefner and collected $250
Joan Jett ($150), recording Democratic presidential candidate South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg listens to a woman as he from actress Jennifer Anis-
industry mogul David Gef- campaigns, Friday, July 12, 2019, in Rochester, N.H. ton, records show.
fen ($5,600), fashion icon Associated Press Other presidential con-
Anna Wintour ($2,800), de- long leaned on the enter- an analysis of Federal Elec- and hosted a fundraiser tenders have drawn celebs
signer Tom Ford ($5,600), tainment industry’s home tion Commission data. for former Vice President of their own.
actress Sharon Stone of California to serve as an “We’re very interested in Joe Biden that raised Massachusetts Sen. Eliza-
($5,600) and comedian El- ATM for their political am- Pete. People are drawn over $750,000. It’s unclear beth Warren, who has
len DeGeneres ($5,600). bitions. During the second to civility and intelligence whether Buttigieg’s early sworn off attending big-
They helped fuel his field- quarter, Buttigieg proved in this moment more than popularity in Hollywood is dollar fundraisers, re-
leading $24.8 million fund- to be particularly effective ever before,” said Michael sustainable for a campaign ceived donations from
raising haul. at it, outraising home-state S. Smith, a designer and that’s still in its early stages. actress Scarlett Johans-
Democratic politicians Sen. Kamala Harris on his major Democratic donor Many entertainment in- son ($2,800), comedian
— and particularly White way toward collecting $3.8 who has cut checks to dustry heavyweights who Amy Schumer ($5,600),
House hopefuls — have million there, according to several 2020 candidates have given to Buttigieg television personality Rosie
are keeping their options O’Donnell ($355), Jett
open and have also given ($235), actress and singer
to others in the race. Smith Bette Midler ($2,800), actor
and his husband, James and producer Ryan Reyn-
Costos, the former ambas- olds ($2,000), television
sador to Spain, both gave producer Shonda Rhimes
to Buttigieg. They are also ($2,800) and musician
among the co-hosts of an- Jackson Browne ($1,200).
other Biden fundraiser in New Jersey Sen. Cory
Los Angeles on Thursday Booker collected $732 from
at the home of Sony’s Mo- his girlfriend, the actress
tion Picture Chairman Tom Rosario Dawson, $500 from
Rothman. The event also actress Alicia Silverstone
has drawn super-agent and $2,800 from actor
Bryan Lourd, Warner Bros. Ben Affleck. Actress Jane
Chairman Toby Emmerich Fonda gave $1,000 apiece
and former Sony chair Amy to Warren, Washington
Pascal. Gov. Jay Inslee and Mon-
Buttigieg was supposed to tana Gov. Steve Bullock,
have a massive LGBT fund- for whom she co-hosted
raiser last month that in- a fundraiser. Fonda gave
cluded Lourd, showrunner $2,000 to Minnesota Sen.
Ryan Murphy and actor Billy Amy Klobuchar, records
Eichner, among others. But show. Inslee also collected
it was canceled — and has $5,600 from Pearl Jam gui-
yet to be rescheduled — so tarist Stone Gossard.
that Buttigieg could deal New York Mayor Bill De Bla-
with unrest at home after a sio, who was late to enter
white South Bend police of- the race and languished
ficer shot and killed a black in fundraising, collected at
man who police say was least one contribution from
armed with a knife. a celebrity. Actor Steve
Still, when it comes to the Buscemi gave him $5,600,
sizzle of celebs, Buttigieg records show.q