Former Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe acquired a $100,000 marketing campaign donation from a hedge fund billionaire who confronted public condemnation when he consoled Harvey Weinstein because the film producer was engulfed by allegations of sexual harassment and undesirable sexual contact.
Paul Tudor Jones, 66, a former board member at Weinstein’s manufacturing firm, was pressured to publicly distance himself from the disgraced Hollywood mogul after it emerged he wrote to inform the producer the accusations would quickly be forgotten.
His donation to McAuliffe’s gubernatorial marketing campaign was revealed by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Entry Mission.
The Virginia race, certainly one of solely two statewide contests this 12 months, might set state information for marketing campaign spending as McAuliffe takes on Republican Glenn Youngkin.
However the ties to Jones might embarrass a marketing campaign that has sought to painting its opponent as anti-women.
The New York Occasions obtained an e-mail message despatched by Jones on October 7, 2017, the day earlier than Weinstein was ousted from his personal firm
‘I really like you,’ he wrote, reportedly providing a blueprint for Weinstein to rehabilitate his picture.
‘Deal with the longer term as America loves an excellent comeback story… The excellent news is, this may go away prior to you suppose and it will likely be forgotten!’
As allegations of sexual misconduct in opposition to Harvey Weinstein emerged in October 2017, hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones wrote him an e-mail telling the producer: ‘The excellent news is this may go method prior to you suppose and it will likely be forgotten’
Jones donated $100,000 to former Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s marketing campaign in a high-spending Virginia gubernatorial race in opposition to Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin
A spokesman for Tudor Funding Company responded to a request for remark by highlighting the assertion despatched by Jones to staff in December 2017 explaining his actions.
‘I deeply imagine in redemption, however what I do know now could be that Harvey was a good friend I believed too lengthy and defended too lengthy,’ he mentioned.
‘Maybe in your personal life you’ve gotten confronted an identical dilemma — learn how to react to a good friend who’s revealed to be somebody apart from the individual you believed her or him to be.’
Jones served on the board of Weinstein Co. till it emerged in October of 2017 that Weinstein had reached monetary settlements with girls who accused him of sexual misconduct.
Final 12 months the producer was sentenced to twenty years in jail by a New York court docket after being discovered responsible of rape and sexual assault.
He faces additional costs in California.
Like many in Weinstein’s orbit, Jones mentioned he was unaware of the allegations till they emerged in media experiences, though it was later reported that the corporate had been conscious of the payouts.
Ken Langone, Elaine Langone, Sonia Jones and Paul Tudor Jones attend NYU Langone’s 2019 Violet Ball at The Metropolitan Museum of Artwork on November 04, 2019 in New York Metropolis. Jones is estimated to be value some $7 billion, in keeping with Forbes
‘They have been 100% a shock to me,’ mentioned Jones of the allegations.
‘I joined the Weinstein Firm board as an unpaid, outdoors member in late 2015, after the interior firm debate about Harvey’s contract renewal.
‘I by no means knew about these discussions or any of the revelations till they started to floor publicly, and I resigned two days later.’
Jones’ wealth is estimated at $7billion, in keeping with Forbes. He made his cash from macro trades – playing on the influence of big-picture financial knowledge similar to progress charges, unemployment, inflation or rate of interest developments.
He has put a few of that cash to good use by establishing the Robin Hood Basis, which tackles poverty in New York.
He has made donations to Republican and Democratic candidates previously.
However voters in Virginia might bear in mind one other event when he received himself caught up in a gender-related controversy.
In 2013, he instructed an viewers of scholars on the College of Virginia that moms discovered it tougher to make it as buyers as a result of ‘as quickly as that child’s lips touched that lady’s bosom, neglect it.’
‘Each single funding, each need to grasp, each need to grasp what is going on to make this go up or going to go down … goes to be overwhelmed by probably the most lovely expertise which a person won’t ever perceive, won’t ever share: that emotive connection between that mom and that child,’ he mentioned.
He later softened his feedback in an announcement to the Washington Put up which sponsored the session,
‘My off-the-cuff remarks on the College of Virginia have been with regard to international macro merchants, who’re on-call 24/7 and of whom there are seemingly just a few thousand profitable practitioners on the earth right now,’ he mentioned.
McAuliffe, who was governor from 2014 to 2018, has put ‘defending girls’s rights’ on the coronary heart of his attraction to voters.
‘For too lengthy, girls in Virginia have confronted evident inequities within the office, in well being care and at residence,’ says his web site. ‘Virginia can’t actually thrive till we root out and get rid of these inequities.’
And in a current interview with Virginia Scope he branded his opponent as anti-women when discussing elements that may entice or repel corporations pondering of transferring to the realm.
‘There’s a distinction,’ he mentioned. ‘You consider Glenn Youngkin, probably the most anti-gay, anti-woman candidate in Virginia historical past.
‘Companies don’t wish to come to a state that discriminates.’
The McAuliffe marketing campaign didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Former President Trump has issued a really public endorsement of Youngkin, whereas President Biden visited Arlington county in Virginia for his first marketing campaign occasion since transferring to the White Home final month to indicate his assist for McAuliffe.
Polls recommend a aggressive race. Though the 2 candidates are battling to succeed a Democratic governor, Ralph Northam, the commonwealth was gained by Trump in 2020.
In June, the Cook dinner Political Report moved the race from its ‘seemingly Democratic’ column to ‘leans Democratic,’ and the newest polls present Youngkin trailing solely narrowly
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