U.S. Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott speaks on the “Roast and Ride” event hosted by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst while campaigning in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. June 3, 2023.
Dave Kaup | Reuters
Republican Sen. Tim Scott huddled with over 50 donors on the Hamptons home of Wall Street veteran and former Trump administration official Frank Dunlevy on Wednesday night, based on people acquainted with the matter.
The fundraising event for Scott’s presidential campaign, which was first reported on by CNBC last month, was held within the backyard of Dunlevy’s East Hampton property.
Dunlevy, a vice chair of investment banking at TD Cowen, was not listed on the invite. In reality, when CNBC reached out to Dunlevy before the party this week, he tried to dispute whether the fundraiser was at his house.
But invitees later confirmed the situation was Dunlevy’s house, and one attendee noted he mingled with guests. Dunlevy didn’t return multiple follow up calls and emails from CNBC. Dunlevy lent his backyard to the official listed hosts of the Scott event, one other person explained.
The property includes a massive swimming pool behind the home and a wrap around driveway, only a five minute walk from the picturesque East Hampton beaches.
Individual tickets cost from $1,000 to $5,000, based on the invitation. Couples tickets were $10,000.
Also attending the party was Gary Cohn, who served as director of the National Economic Council in 2017-18. Cohn was listed as a co-host on the invitation.
Gary Cohn, Vice Chairman, IBM, speaks through the Milken Institute Global Conference on October 19, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images
Cohn and Dunlevy usually are not the one wealthy Republicans who served within the Trump administration and who now look like backing considered one of Trump’s rivals.
An excellent PAC benefitting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently reported a $50,000 contribution from the Orlando Magic, a team owned by the billionaire DeVos family. The donation raised eyebrows since the family matriarch, Betsy DeVos, was Trump’s Secretary of Education.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson told CNBC that the DeVos’ haven’t decided who to back within the 2024 GOP primary.
Dunlevy held two posts through the Trump administration. Starting in 2018, he was a counselor to the CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation, formerly referred to as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, or OPIC.
He later joined the State Department, where he was chief banking officer and senior advisor for Keith Krach, Trump’s under secretary of economic growth, energy and environment.
Near the tip of his time in office, Trump nominated Dunlevy to the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, but President Joe Biden withdrew his nomination.
Dunlevy has previously donated to the Republican National Committee, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s 2016 campaign for president and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign for president.
Despite Trump’s dominance within the polls, events just like the Scott fundraiser reflect a broader reluctance of amongst traditional Republican donors to get on board with Trump’s push to be the party’s nominee in 2024.
The previous president is currently facing 78 criminal counts in three cases, with a fourth indictment widely to come back expected next week. To pay for a small army of lawyers, Trump is counting on his political operation, which this 12 months alone has spent greater than $26 million on legal fees.
While Trump burns through contributions, Scott has spent his campaign money conservatively, in contrast.
Tied for third place in the newest Latest York Times poll after the previous president and DeSantis, Scott nonetheless raised $7 million within the second quarter of this 12 months.
At the tip of July, Scott’s political operation reported having north of $21 million in money readily available, based on federal campaign filings. This was only barely lower than the $22.5 million Trump’s own campaign reported in money.
A spokesman for Scott’s campaign didn’t return a request for comment on the event and the way much it raised for his presidential bid.