President Joe Biden’s White House Correspondents Dinner this past week was attended by many prominent figures, including Alexander Soros. His presence has raised questions about money in politics and the power of wealthy individuals to affect election outcomes.
Alexander Soros, the son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, serves as chairman of the Open Society Foundation (OSF). His donations have been evident in Federal Election Commission filings which reveal he has provided millions of dollars to Democratic campaigns and progressive PACs.
Alexander has been quite generous with his donations, especially to the Senate Majority PAC associated with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). This single donation was a whopping $2 million. Alexander’s Instagram profile revealed that the two had met no fewer than nine times since 2018. Additionally, he donated to Nancy Pelosi’s campaign.
His top director, Tom Perriello, who heads OSF’s U.S. programs, has stated that the money is being used to push for voting rights and women’s reproductive health access. In the meantime, he has frequented the White House over 13 times since the 2020 election. Perriello seems not alone in his visits, as Alexander has also appeared with House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Schumer.
A few months ago, Alexander made waves on Instagram by showcasing an image with George Soros and Nancy Pelosi. He backed up his online presence with tangible action, donating thousands of dollars to ex-Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO).
In 2020, Alexander also donated to Biden’s Victory Fund, according to campaign filings.
He is part of the OSF network, which has given over $32 billion to various liberal causes and charities, including millions spent on ballot initiatives and advocacy groups in 2021 alone, according to tax forms. Even George Soros himself donated $170 million during the 2022 midterm elections in support of Democrats. When reached for comment, neither the White House nor OSF replied to requests.
The influence of wealthy individuals in American politics is nothing new, but Alexander’s presence at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has raised eyebrows. His involvement with multiple organizations and vast donations to left-leaning political campaigns and PACs has sparked conversations about how much power a single person or group of individuals can have in an election.
Though Alexander has done nothing illegal, some are concerned that wealthy people like him can pour money into campaigns and influence which policies get passed. In recent years, the Supreme Court has allowed for unlimited amounts of money in politics, and wealthy individuals like Alexander Soros are taking full advantage of that new ruling.
Though his donations have made a difference in the outcomes of some elections, this sort of influence is unfair and potentially detrimental to our electoral system. Only time will tell if Alexander and George Soros will make a difference in the road ahead for American politics as more powerful individuals continue to make their mark in funding campaigns.
For now, though, it appears that those with the money can wield an undue amount of influence on democratic processes, leaving many wondering where the balance between personal power and the public interest truly lies.
