Goldman Bankers Are Jeb Bush’s Top Backers for White House

by Max Abelson

July 15, 2015

Republican Presidential candidate Jeb Bush speaks to the press at the 4th of July Parade in Merrimack, New Hampshire.

Important people at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. want Jeb Bush to be the next U.S. president. And they’re giving him a lot of money to make it happen.

More than 50 Goldman Sachs executives and employees gave the Republican more than $144,000 in the second quarter, with most of them sending $2,700, the maximum allowed, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

The company that was the next-best source of money for the former Florida governor, Neuberger Berman, is run by George Walker, Bush’s second cousin. Employees at the money manager gave more than $63,000. It once was part of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., where Bush was an adviser.

Goldman Sachs management committee members who gave to Bush include investment management co-heads Eric Lane and Timothy J. O’Neill, investment banking co-head David Solomon, mergers and acquisitions co-head Gene Sykes, risk chief Craig Broderick and merchant banking head Richard Friedman. Dina Powell, the head of the firm’s foundation, and Robert Zoellick, the chairman of the company’s international advisers and a former head of the World Bank, both donated to Bush.

Goldman Sachs isn’t the only Wall Street firm with employees hoping to see a third Bush in the White House. Credit Suisse Group AG, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. also were among the top sources of donations.

Goldman Sachs employees sent more to Bush than to Hillary Clinton, who got less than $60,000. Even so, she received more than him from donors at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, where her former State Department deputy Tom Nides is vice chairman. He’s among bundlers who helped her raise at least $100,000.

No Goldman Sachs employees were listed as donors during the second quarter to Vermont’s Bernie Sanders. The Democratic senator has called for breaking up the biggest banks.

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