Lawrence Hess is the president of Lehbros Limited (a successor to Lehman Brothers), a real estate firm that manages and owns apartment communities in San Diego, California. Hess is also involved with Hesse Companies which owns three separate New Jersey corporations: C.J. Hesse, a highway construction and paving company; Brick Wall Corp., a sand and gravel and asphalt company; and Atlantic Pier Company Inc., a property management and development company. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Lawrence Hess is the president of Lehbros Limited (a successor to Lehman Brothers), a real estate firm that manages and owns apartment communities in San Diego, California. Hess is also involved with Hesse Companies which owns three separate New Jersey corporations: C.J. Hesse, a highway construction and paving company; Brick Wall Corp., a sand and gravel and asphalt company; and Atlantic Pier Company Inc., a property management and development company. ^{4 5 6}

His involvement in politics began during the Vietnam War when he was active in the American Civil Liberties Union and Young Democrats of America. He, along with his wife Suzanne Hess, are active supporters of the left-wing Peace Resource Center of San Diego and have been since its founding in 1980. They have sat on its board of directors. ⁷

Hess is a major supporter of left-of-center candidates and causes, primarily in California. According to the FEC, he made 185 reportable contributions totaling $620,862 have been reported from January 1, 2018 to May 31, 2020. He has donated to left-wing organizations such as the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Victory Fund, a left-of-center PAC devoted to the defeat of former President Donald Trump and congressional candidates it deems weak on environmental issues; left-wing Fair Fight, chaired by Stacey Abrams, the failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate who seeks relaxation of voting laws in Georgia; Women Vote!, a PAC associated with Emily’s List that seeks congressional seats for left-of-center women; and Voices for Progress, an advocate for left-wing ideas on the environment and the economy as well as the relaxation of voting laws. Donations are typically made in Lawrence Hess’s name with Lehbros, LTD or The Hesse Companies listed as his employer. ⁸

Hess has sat on the board of directors of left-of-center Progressive Majority PAC, which opposed former President Donald Trump’s agenda and supports a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, legal abortion, and to limit campaign speech through spending on electoral advocacy. ^{9 10}

Combined, Lawrence and Suzanne Hess donated $1,007,300 between January 1, 2018 and May 31, 2020 to mostly Democratic Party candidates and left-of-center organizations. ^{11 12}

Lawrence Hess is the treasurer of the Everett and Alice Hess Family Fund which at the end of 2017 had assets of $340,816. ¹³

Funding

According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) database, Lawrence Hess has made donations to League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund ($55,000), League of Conservation Voters Action Fund ($5,000), Women Vote! ($23,000), PowerPacPlus ($15,000), Todd Gloria Democrat for Mayor of San Diego 2020 ($15,000), Democratic National Committee ($10,000), Fair Fight ($10,000), New Jersey Republican State Committee ($10,000), Arizona Democratic Party ($10,000), Sinema Victory Fund ($10,000), Vote Tripling PAC ($10,000), Voices for Progress PAC ($10,000), San Diego County Democratic Party ($10,000), Progressive Change Campaign Committee ($5,000), and Rashida Tlaib ($2,700). ¹⁴

1. “Home.” The Hesse Companies. Accessed June 16, 2020. http://www.thehessecompanies.com/.
2. “Lehbros Ltd Inc – Company Profile and News.” Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0293105Z:US.
3. Hargrove, Dorian. “Lawrence and Suzanne Hess Gave $294,000 in Political Donations.” San Diego Reader. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/news-ticker/2012/may/16/lawrence-and-suzanne-hess-give-294000-in-political/.
4. “Home.” The Hesse Companies. Accessed June 16, 2020. http://www.thehessecompanies.com/.
5. “Lehbros Ltd Inc – Company Profile and News.” Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0293105Z:US.
6. Hargrove, Dorian. “Lawrence and Suzanne Hess Gave $294,000 in Political Donations.” San Diego Reader. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/news-ticker/2012/may/16/lawrence-and-suzanne-hess-give-294000-in-political/.
7. “Lawrence E Hess.” LittleSis. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://littlesis.org/person/135196/Lawrence_E_Hess.
8. “Browse Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Lawrenc+Hess.
9. “Lawrence E Hess.” LittleSis. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://littlesis.org/person/135196/Lawrence_E_Hess.
10. “Lawrence E Hess.” LittleSis. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://littlesis.org/person/135196/Lawrence_E_Hess.
11. “Browse Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Lawrenc+Hess.
12. “Browse Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=suzanne+hess.
13. “Everett and Alice Hesse Family Fund.” Accessed June 16, 2020. Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF). 2017. Line I.
14. “Browse Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Lawrenc+Hess.