Jewish Mega-Donor Fed Up With ‘Hot-Headed,’ ‘Shouting’ Women
Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi interviews Haim Saban in her HBO documentary “Meet the Donors.” Image by HBO
By Josefin Dolsten August 3, 2016
Prominent Democratic donor Haim Saban called a female interviewer a “very hot-headed woman” when she asked about how much influence he has over politicians.
“Well, you’re painting it in a negative way… I’m trying to explain it but it’s not sinking in your interviewer’s very hot-headed woman,” Saban told filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi in a somewhat incoherent phrasing. “Listen well to what I’m saying again.”
Haim Saban speaks about political donations in the HBO documentary “Meet the Donors,” by filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi. Image by HBO
“The reason I give money to politicians within the limitations of the law is to allow them to put their message across to the people,” Saban continued. “Is it the ideal system? No. Is it the law of the land? Yes. What do you want from me? It’s pretty simple.”
Last week, Saban said he had advised Hillary Clinton not to shout so much.
“I told her: ‘don’t shout. Why are you shouting all the time? It’s drilling a hole in my head. You can say the same thing without shouting, let Trump, that conman, to shout. You don’t need to shout,’” he told Israel’s Channel 10 TV.
Alexandra Pelosi on March 21, 2013 in New York City. Image by Getty Images
In “Meet the Donors,” Pelosi, the daughter of Democratic Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, explores the relationship between money and politics by interviewing over a dozen prominent political donors, including Saban.
The Israeli-American multi-billionaire seemed frustrated by Pelosi’s questions, refusing several times to answer.
When asked how much money he has given to the Bill and Hillary Clinton, Saban said: “Ah, that’s a very good question that I have no intention of answering. None whatsoever.”
In the interview last week with Israeli TV, Saban said his contributions to the Clintons amounted to an “eight figure” number.
Contact Josefin Dolsten at dolsten@forward.com or on Twitter, @JosefinDolsten
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
