Today we examine Jared Kushner’s book sales and investments from Andreessen Horowitz, which usually injects cash into technology startups but has recently put money into the political process.
A Trump Political Committee Bought $158,000 Worth Of Books Shortly After Jared Kushner Published His Best-Selling Memoir
One of Donald Trump’s political committees spent $158,000 on books just weeks after Jared Kushner released his memoir.
“Breaking History” hit shelves on Aug. 23. Two weeks later, the Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, which raises money for two Trump PACs, paid retailer Books-A-Million $131,000 for “collateral:books,” according to a campaign filing made Saturday with the Federal Election Commission.
On Sept. 22, Save America purchased another $27,000 worth of books.
Spokespeople for Save America did not respond to questions about whether the book purchases covered Kushner’s memoir. But it seems likely that they did. Save America Joint Fundraising Committee is currently offering signed copies of Kusher’s book in exchange for donations of $75 or more.
Jared Kushner looks on as then-President Donald Trump speaks before signing the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on January 29, 2020. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Getty Images
It appears Kushner’s book sales benefited from at least one other bulk purchase, too.
When “Breaking History” debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times hardcover nonfiction best-seller list, its ranking was accompanied by a dagger, signifying that some book sellers had reported bulk orders. That list included data for the week ending Aug. 27—two weeks before Save America’s big purchase. It’s not clear if another political committee purchased Kushner’s memoir or if there was a different kind of bulk buyer.
After “Breaking History” debuted at No. 1 on the hardcover nonfiction list, it fell to No. 2 the following week, a spot it maintained the week of Save America’s first purchase. It then dropped to No. 10. Kushner’s book held that position for a second week, which covered the date Save America made its second purchase. “Breaking History” proceeded to fall off the list altogether.
Save America Joint Fundraising Committee spent $158,000 on books shortly after Jared Kushner’s memoir was published.
Federal Election Commission/Save America Joint Fundraising Committee
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In Case You Missed It
Andreessen Horowitz’s Crypto Lobbying Blitz Is Paying Off
“In April, Andreessen Horowitz partners Ben Horowitz, Anthony Albanese and Chris Dixon threw a fundraiser for Bronx congressman Ritchie Torres at the New York nightclub Zero Bond. They encouraged guests to donate between $500 and $5,800 in U.S. dollars or Ether to support Torres’ congressional run for New York’s 15th district. In the days leading up to the event, the partners themselves had contributed $17,000,” report David Jeans and Sarah Emerson:
Just a few months later, Torres Zoomed into a panel hosted by Andreessen Horowitz portfolio company Flowcarbon, throwing his political support behind the fledgling cryptocurrency startup, which has been called a “hammer in search of a nail” and a “scam” by critics. The slick new venture, which was cofounded and backed by WeWork’s Adam Neumann and into which Andreessen Horowitz led a $32 million funding round in May, aims to bring carbon credits onto the blockchain.
“Tokenization has the potential to magnify the power that the private sector can play in combating catastrophic climate change,” Torres told attendees, heralding crypto as “the best hope for de-concentrating power in both finance and technology.” He did not disclose that Andreessen partners had helped him raise money until it was reported by CNBC.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), pictured, told Forbes he is a blockchain believer and “a skeptic about policies that discriminate against the technology.”
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Watch: Pro-Life Groups Are Putting Big Money Behind Herschel Walker In Spite Of Scandals
Your correspondent joined assistant managing editor Diane Brady in “Forbes Newsroom” to discuss the big spending surrounding midterm election races.
Tracking Trump
Forbes continues to update “Tracking Trump: A Rundown Of All The Lawsuits And Investigations Involving The Former President.”
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Forbes
“The Trump Organization charged Secret Service staff ‘exorbitant’ prices to stay at former President Donald Trump’s hotels in order to protect him and his family during and after his presidency, the Democratic chair of the House Oversight Committee said Monday, arguing the high rates may have brought a ‘taxpayer-funded windfall for former President Trump’s struggling businesses,’” reports Madeline Halpert.
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“Former President Donald Trump on Sunday lamented that Jewish Americans are insufficiently supportive of him, calling on the group to ‘get their act together,’ the latest in a series of disparaging comments by Trump about Jewish Americans that have received backlash and drawn allegations of antisemitism in the past,” reports Carlie Porterfield.
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“Former President Donald Trump remained noncommittal on whether or not he’ll comply with the House January 6 Committee’s subpoena for his testimony Friday morning, issuing a multi-page response to the committee, decrying it as a ‘charade and witch hunt’—but still refusing to explicitly state whether he intends to go along with its request,” reports Alison Durkee.
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“Controversial rapper Kanye West, the prospective new owner of right-wing social media platform Parler, vowed Monday to break bread with Donald Trump by inviting the fellow billionaire onto his site, while shares of the company aiming to take Trump’s competing Truth Social app public cratered,” reports Derek Saul.
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Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) held a fundraiser for his senate campaign at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, according to an Instagram post. Schmitt’s campaign already has spent $25,000 at the former president’s club.
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Instagram/Martha Boneta Fain
On Monday, Maryland State Delegate Dan Cox (R) held a $1,776-per-person cocktail reception to benefit his gubernatorial campaign at Mar-a-Lago.
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Facebook/Patti Haley Stueckler
- “Trump Spent 91 Cents to Raise Each Dollar as Troubles Mounted” (Bloomberg)
- “Co-founder of Trump’s media company details Truth Social’s bitter infighting” (The Washington Post)
- “Trump’s secret, ugly breakup with Deutsche Bank is revealed in new allegations by NY’s attorney general” (Insider)
Editor’s Picks
- “Congressional Ethics Watchdog Calls For Ethics Investigation Into Kahele” (Civil Beat)
- “Retired U.S. Generals, Admirals Take Top Jobs With Saudi Crown Prince” (The Washington Post)
- “Nancy Pelosi’s husband bought at least $1 million in Alphabet stock days before House leadership proposed a congressional stock trading ban” (Insider)
- “Outside groups spent a midterm-record of $1.3 billion on 2022 federal elections. The election is still 25 days away.” (OpenSecrets)
- “Democrats Spent $2 Trillion to Save the Economy. They Don’t Want to Talk About It.” (The New York Times)
- “Democratic Megadonors Sit On Sidelines Amid GOP Spending Blitz” (HuffPost)
- “Fetterman camp takes aim at a Dem super PAC” (Politico)
- “Far-Right Republicans Face Tough Races in Swing Districts, Testing McCarthy” (The New York Times)
- “Biden’s Blessing” (Puck)
- “In Texas, where money has long dominated politics, Greg Abbott is in a league of his own” (The Texas Tribune)
- “Ted Cruz reimbursed himself $555,000 after successfully challenging a political spending law at the Supreme Court” (Insider)
- “The Quiet Political Rise of David Sacks, Silicon Valley’s Prophet of Urban Doom” (The New Republic)
- “‘Pop-up’ super PAC that spent big in New Hampshire’s U.S. Senate primary funded by Senate Leadership Fund and GOP megadonor” (OpenSecrets)
- “New super PAC forms as Jim Banks eyes House GOP leadership role” (Axios)
- “‘That’s my check’: Walker acknowledges giving $700 to his ex, but denies her claim he knew it was for an abortion” (NBC News)
- “A People-Powered Insurgency Threatened to Reshape the Democratic Party. Then Came AIPAC and Its Allied Super PAC, Democratic Majority for Israel.” (The Intercept)
- “DOJ demands Hikvision lobbyists register as foreign agents” (Axios)
- “Peter Thiel, Major U.S. Political Donor, Is Said to Pursue Maltese Citizenship” (The New York Times)
- “Rep. Rouzer LD moves to FTI Consulting” (LegiStorm)
- “BoA quietly adds Democratic House Small Business staffer” (LegiStorm)
- “How obscure government documents foreshadowed divorce for Kanye West, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Madison Cawthorn” (Insider)
- “Trump-backed congressional candidate Bo Hines says he ‘can’t afford’ to give up his salary. But federal records show he has no salary.” (Insider)
In Closing
“Her dad met me in Saginaw, Michigan
He gave me a great big party with champagne
Then he said, ‘Son you’re a wise, young, ambitious man
Will you sell your father-in-law your Klondike claim?’”
— Lefty Frizzell, “Saginaw, Michigan”