Here’s Who’s Raising Money in Hollywood for Pete Buttigieg
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The Pete Buttigieg campaign released its top bundlers on Friday evening, as it continues to open up its fundraising process to media scrutiny.
Buttigieg released the names of 157 members of his “investors circle,” each of whom has raised at least $25,000 for his campaign. Buttigieg is now the most prolific fundraiser in Hollywood, with Sen. Kamala Harris out of the presidential race, and among the bundlers were several Hollywood donors.
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They include Bruce Cohen, producer of “Milk,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Beauty,” and his husband Gabe Catone. Cohen and Catone were among the first gay couples to be married in California after the state Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2008. They were wed at Los Angeles City Hall, with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa officiating.
Kevin MacLellan and Brian Curran, who hosted a celebrity-filled fundraiser for Buttigieg in July, are also on the list. MacLellan is a longtime NBCUniversal executive who recently announced his departure from the company.
Laurie David, the climate change activist and former wife of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Larry David, is also a bundler for Buttigieg, as is Vern Yip, the Atlanta-based interior designer who appeared on TLC’s “Trading Spaces.”
Many of the other names are well known in L.A. fundraising circles: Greg Propper, president of Propper Daley; John Gile and Jeff Valenson; and Ruben Rodriguez and Mike Rose. Michael Kives, the former CAA agent and founder of K5 Global, makes the list as well, as does the Peter Nowalk, creator of ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder.”
Michael Auerbach, the entertainment attorney who represents Ben Platt, Leslie Odom, Jr., and Ilana Glazer, co-hosted the event at MacLellan and Curran’s house. Navid Mahmoodzadegan, the co-founder of Moelis & Co., organized a breakfast for Buttigieg in July.
Jill Goldman and Vicki Kennedy co-hosted a lunch fundraiser for Buttigieg in July, and are listed as bundlers. Claire and Brian Goldsmith, who hosted an event for Buttigieg in May, are also listed.
Buttigieg is making another fundraising swing in Los Angeles next week, in advance of next Thursday’s debate. The major event is a Democratic National Committee fundraiser on Tuesday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Buttigieg will headline the event along with Amy Klobuchar and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Under pressure from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Buttigieg announced on Monday that he would allow a pool reporter to attend his fundraisers. Sen. Cory Booker followed suit on Friday, saying that his fundraisers would also be accessible to the media. Former Vice President Joe Biden has allowed a pool report at his fundraisers since the beginning of his campaign.
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