Republican Convention Begs Sheldon Adelson for $6M as Sponsors Shun Trump
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Ron Kampeas July 15, 2016
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The Republican Party convention is asking Sheldon Adelson to cover a $6 million shortfall triggered by sponsors walking out over the nominee, Donald Trump.
Politico reported Thursday that the appeal to the casino magnate came July 12, just six days before the July 18 launch of the convention in Cleveland. The convention has raised $58 million of its projected $64 million cost.
Adelson is a major pro-Israel giver and a Republican who has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars to help elect Trump.
The letter from the convention’s host committee lists among donors who have withdrawn their pledges David Koch at $1 million, FedEx at $500,000, Visa at $100,000, Pepsi at $500,000 and Coca-Cola at $1 million.
The organizers bluntly admit that Trump and his controversies have led to the shortfall.
“Over the past couple months, negative publicity around our potential nominee resulted in a considerable number of pledges backing out from their commitments,” Politico quotes the letter as saying. “We would greatly appreciate if you would consider a $6,000,000 contribution to the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee to help us cross the finish line.”
Coca-Cola was among the companies targeted by a call to boycott the convention because of Trump’s broadsides against Mexicans, Muslims and women. The coalition of groups calling for the boycott, Color of Change, a Jewish social action group, Bend the Arc. Coca Cola would not confirm or deny if the activism led to its decision to pull out.
Politico was unable to obtain comment from the host committee or from Adelson.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
