As of mid-September, George Soros had donated over $26 million to political activities directed against US President George W. Bush, and in favor of Democratic candidates, according to official campaign donation figures for candidates and parties. Almost all of Soros’s donations were to organizations affiliated with the Democrats. His donations were by far the largest in the campaign. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates donated only $7,000 to causes affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Israeli-American communications mogul Haim Saban and his wife, Cheryl, donated $164,000, mostly to Democratic candidates, including $27,000 to Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry, and Democratic-affiliated organizations. They also donated $4,000 to the Bush campaign.
Carnival Corp. controlling shareholder and CEO Micky Arison, brother of Shari Arison, and his wife, Madeleine, donated $97,500 to candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Among other things, they donated $2,000 to the campaign of Congressman John Dingell (D Michigan), one of the leading pro-Arab representatives in Congress. The Arisons also donated to the Bush campaign.
The family of Edgar Bronfman donated $243,500 to various candidates, mostly Democratic. Edgar Bronfman himself donated $170,000 to pro-Democratic organizations. His son, Edgar Jr., donated to Kerry and Senators Hilary Clinton (D New York), Tom Daschle (D South Dakota), Patrick Leahy (D Vermont), and Arlen Specter (R Pennsylvania).
Oil tycoon Ross Perot, who won 19% of the vote as an independent presidential candidate in 1992, donates mostly to Republicans. Perot and his family donated $86,000.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on November 2, 2004