Democratic presidential hopeful Mayor of South Bend, Indiana Pete Buttigieg reacts during a town hall devoted to LGBTQ issues hosted by CNN and the Human rights Campaign Foundation at The Novo in Los Angeles on October 10, 2019.
ROBYN BECK | AFP | Getty Images
Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg released the names of his campaign’s biggest financial supporters following a barrage of criticism from Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Democratic activists over the secrecy of his fundraisers.
Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., listed 113 bundlers who have raised at least $25,000 for his campaign.
The list includes Hamilton James, executive vice chairman of private equity firm Blackstone; Orin Kramer, a hedge fund manager and big Democratic fundraiser; and New York Socialite and philanthropist Agnes Gund.
Several of the bundlers listed are former fundraisers for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The roster includes California-based consultant Christine Forester, who was one of Obama’s top fundraisers.
The publication of Buttigieg’s bundler list comes after Warren accused him of not being transparent about his employment history and fundraising.
Warren, who is not holding private fundraisers as she campaigns for president, criticized Buttigieg for having private events and an outdated list of bundlers. Buttigieg opened his fundraisers to the press this week after Warren’s criticism, but dismissed her attacks of his fundraising practices as a “process purity test.”
Buttigieg’s move to open up his fundraisers to the press and disclose the name of his bundlers also comes amid a series of disclosures that included the release of his client list from when he worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Co. nearly a decade ago.
He has previously revealed the names of his campaign bundlers, but had not updated the list since April.
Buttigieg has become a prolific fundraiser in the Democratic primary, and his campaign so far has raised $19.1 million, with the average donation about $40.
