• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45

3

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45

3

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Leadership

This Is How Much Warren Buffett Is Spending Campaigning for Hillary Clinton

By
Alexandra Mondalek
Alexandra Mondalek
and
Money
Money
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Alexandra Mondalek
Alexandra Mondalek
and
Money
Money
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 2, 2016, 10:48 AM ET

This piece originally appeared on Money.com.

Hillary Clinton may be having a tough time reaching average American voters, but she’s having no trouble courting billionaires.

On Monday afternoon, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) CEO Warren Buffett delivered a speech at a Hillary Clinton campaign event in his hometown, a few months after endorsing the Democratic nominee for president.

In December, Buffett formally endorsed Clinton, and has been campaigning for her on and off since. At a campaign event in 2015, Buffett opened for Clinton with the description of this economic reality: “The income of the top 400 is seven times what it was twenty years ago. I hope all of you are making seven times what it was twenty years ago, but you would really be the exceptions … They got a one-third tax cut at the same time their income went up seven-to-one in aggregate.”

Income inequality and taxes are two themes Buffett speaks about frequently (so much so that President Barack Obama named the idea of increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans “The Buffett Rule“).

And this isn’t the first race in which Buffett has backed Clinton. In fact, the investing legend has donated to her bids for public office as early as 2000, when she ran for a U.S. Senate seat from New York. According to the Federal Election Commission, Buffett donated roughly $6,000 directly to Clinton’s campaigns via individual contributions in the last 15 years.

The sum may seem small given Buffett’s wealth and propensity for charitable giving. But he’s long been an ardent supporter of keeping big money out of politics, especially since the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision. This ruling held that corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts on political activities, provided their efforts are independent of a party or candidate. Individuals may only donate $2,700 per election cycle to a given candidate’s campaign, a limit Buffett has largely abided by.

But even that is not without exception. In October 2014, Buffett gave $25,000, the most he’s donated to benefit any single candidate, to a Super PAC dedicated to helping Clinton, called Ready for Hillary. To be sure, Buffett has given sums totaling $30,000 or more to the Democratic National Committee, according to FEC records.

Of course, Buffett has also aided Clinton’s campaign by holding fundraising events for the Democratic nominee. Politico reported in January that Buffett held a fundraiser for Clinton that charged $33,400 per person.

For the fourth-richest man in the world to speak out about disproportionate income tax rates and inequality may seem ironic, but he wouldn’t be the first billionaire to endorse Clinton. Over the weekend, Dallas Mavericks owner and investor Mark Cuban endorsed Clinton, following in the footsteps of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who spoke at last week’s Democratic National Convention in favor of the nominee.

Remember the “Billionaires for Bush” parody website, when George W. ran? He certainly had a bona fide bunch of well-heeled donors. And Clinton does, too.

About the Authors
By Alexandra Mondalek
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Money
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

Three ways that Asia’s enterprises are adopting AI—and where they are falling behind
CommentaryOracle
Three ways that Asia’s enterprises are adopting AI—and where they are falling behind
By Garrett IlgJune 11, 2026
6 hours ago
Testosil Review (2026): Testosterone Supplement Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
Testosil Review (2026): Testosterone Supplement Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJune 11, 2026
7 hours ago
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
SuccessSports
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
By Catherina GioinoJune 11, 2026
8 hours ago
The real hurdle to enterprise AI isn’t fixing productivity KPIs. It’s ‘unlearning’ old habits, experts say
Future of WorkBrainstorm Tech
The real hurdle to enterprise AI isn’t fixing productivity KPIs. It’s ‘unlearning’ old habits, experts say
By Sebastian HerreraJune 11, 2026
9 hours ago
Agility Robotics Chief Executive Peggy Johnson speaks on stage at Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado.
AIBrainstorm Tech
Tech leaders argue AI’s real future Is task augmentation, not mass layoffs
By Sebastian HerreraJune 11, 2026
10 hours ago
The head of Claude Code hasn’t ‘written a line of code by hand’ in 8 months
ConferencesBrainstorm Tech
The head of Claude Code hasn’t ‘written a line of code by hand’ in 8 months
By Nick LichtenbergJune 11, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
1 day ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
2 days ago
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
3 days ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
14 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.