Big Money Fundraisers Planned for Trump This Weekend in the Hamptons & the Jersey Shore

By: Fern Sidman

Despite the naysayers and the plethora of critics, it appears that President Trump does indeed have support for his re-election bid and lots of it.

Over the weekend, the commander and chief will attend several big-money fundraisers in the posh Hamptons and out on the Jersey Shore.

CNBC reported that billionaire former hedge fund manager John Paulson will host Trump at his home in swanky Southampton, New York, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. Tickets for the dinner event are priced up to $500,000 per couple, an invitation says.

Also coordinating the Saturday fundraiser will be Kimberly Guilfoyle, former Fox TV News personality, Trump national finance chair and girlfriend of Donald Trump, Jr.

A short while back, it was reported that Guilfoyle has tested positive for the coronavirus, but apparently she is no longer in quarantine.  She was diagnosed after attending campaign events in Montana, and she and Don, Jr, then drove out of South Dakota before Trump’s Fourth of July Mount Rushmore speech, according to a Vanity Fair article.

On Thursday, CNBC reported that she and Trump Jr.  attended an event that costs $2,800/person for the reception and up to $50,000/couple for the dinner.

Included in the weekend programming is the $580,600-per-couple fund-raiser on Saturday. The NY Post reported that singles can also have an opportunity to meet the president for a mere $250,000.

Also on the program for the weekend is yet another big money fundraiser. This time, it will be held on Sunday afternoon at the Jersey Shore mansion of the family of President Trump’s late longtime friend, Stanley Chera, of blessed memory. Chera passed away in April as a result of the coronavirus. Trump spoke glowingly of Chera at a White House news briefings several days after he passed away. Both had known one another from the New York City real estate industry where Chera stood out for his remarkable successes. Chera had previously thrown his support behind Trump and hosted a Veterans Day event where the president addressed the nation in New York City in November of 2019.

CNN reported that according to the website Virtual Globetrotting, which tracks the residences of celebrities, Paulson’s property was once known as the “Old Trees.” It’s described on the website as a “gated estate of 10.4 acres — a private park, really — with a 15,000-square-foot 1911 Georgian mansion, guesthouse, barn, pool, and tennis court overlooking Lake Agawam, in the heart of Southampton Village.”

The Hamptons is the traditional summer home of wealthy business executives, celebrities of all stripes and high profile personalities from around the world. Because of the dangers emanating from the coronavirus pandemic, the state of New York allows social gatherings of only up to 50 people, which would make it difficult for fundraisers to proceed.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has continued to call on people across the state to continue to maintain social distancing and if that is not possible, them to wear masks in public.

Republican officials recently told CNBC that all fundraiser attendees must test negative for Covid-19 on the day of the event, complete a wellness questionnaire and pass a temperature screening.

Paulson, who has hosted events for Trump in the past has a reported net worth of over $4 billion. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Paulson, who used to run Paulson & Co., recently returned money to his investors and turned the business into a private investment firm only for his family.

Published reports indicate that the Trump campaign expects to raise $15 million for the Trump Victory committee, a joint fundraising operation between the campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Federal Election Commission records show that Paulson has given over $330,000 to the committee in the 2020 election cycle, as was reported by CNBC.

The Trump campaign and the RNC have said that in the month of July they pulled in more money than did their opponent. In July, the claim, they raised $165 million for Trump’s war chest as opposed to the $140 million that was raised for the Biden campaign.

Public polling shows Biden ahead of Trump by just over six points, according a Real Clear Politics polling average.