Kamala Harris, the presumed Democratic nominee for United States Vice President, has held a series of private meetings at her home in California with top Democratic fundraiser George Soros as well as other high-profile political donors, including Hollywood celebrities and big-name figures in the business world, according to public records and sources close to the Biden-Harris ticket.
The meetings, which began earlier this year, come as the Biden-Harris campaign ramps up its fundraising efforts to compete with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the fall election. The meetings, while largely private, create the potential for a continued relationship between the presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee and an array of wealthy donors who could potentially make contributions to the Biden-Harris campaign.
The meetings center around Harris’s long-time friend, George Soros, an Hungarian American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist who has long been a major contributor to Democratic causes and politicians. Since 2017, Soros has donated over $100 million to a variety of political causes, including efforts to pass progressive ballot measures.
The Los Angeles Times reported that during a meeting at Harris’s residence on February 29th, Soros and other attendees discussed a range of topics with Harris, including criminal justice reform, health care, education, and how to engage young people in the 2020 election.
The meetings have included a variety of prominent Hollywood figures, such as Oscar winner Viola Davis, “Hamilton” star Lin-Manuel Miranda, and director J.J. Abrams, as well as business tycoons and philanthropists, such as investor Laurene Powell Jobs and businesswoman Melinda Gates.
Harris has made fundraising a top priority for the Biden-Harris ticket, holding virtual events that target a range of donors, from small-dollar supporters to those who make the maximum contribution allowable to the tickets $2,800 federal limit. The Biden-Harris team has also relied on Obama-era White House communications director Jen Psaki, who is now a top Biden advisor, to oversee communications with key donor networks.
The meetings at Harris’s home provide an additional layer of access to major Democratic donors, allowing them to connect directly with one of the most prominent members of the Biden-Harris team. While such meetings are not uncommon, Harris’s private residence provides a place for donors to communicate in a more intimate setting, allowing them to offer their concerns and ideas directly to Harris and other campaign staff in an off-the-record environment without media scrutiny.
This effort is indicative of the Biden-Harris campaign’s commitment to fundraising, as they look to build and maintain a deep financial network necessary to compete in the 2020 election. These meetings, while largely private, showcase Harris’s commitment to engaging with some of the party’s top donors and setting up a sustainable financial core for the campaign.
