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Person

Lee Halprin

Occupation:

Writer
Spouse:

Abby Rockefeller

Lee Halprin is a writer and the husband of Abby Rockefeller, a member of the prominent and wealthy Rockefeller family. Like his wife, Halprin has used his wealth to back socialist causes1 and support Democratic political candidates. 2

Halprin has associated with the American socialist movement. He is a donor to the Democratic Socialists of America and socialist magazine In These Times; the DSA has recognized Halprin for his commitment to anti-capitalist policies. 3

Socialism

Halprin is a supporter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He was one of the top donors to DSA’s “Anti-Capitalist Capital Campaign”4 and was listed as a “comrade” by the group 2012. 5

Halprin has also funded In These Times, a socialist magazine. 6 In 2015, he gave at least $10,000 to In These Times. 7 The issue of the magazine in which Halprin is thanked for his donation contained calls for a socialist “political revolution.” 8

Donations to Left-Wing Campaigns

Halprin has been a major donor to candidates at the national and state level. Since 1992, Halprin has given over $840,000 to left-wing candidates and campaign groups. 9 During the 2018 midterm cycle, Halprin gave over $225,000 to liberal campaigns. 10 Democratic U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) all received the maximum contribution of $5,400 from Halprin. 11

During the 2016 election cycle, Halprin gave over $70,000 to Democratic candidates. 12 Democratic candidates that received a donation from Halprin include Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catharine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). 13

Halprin has also given heavily to national Democratic party organizations. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which supports Democratic candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives, received $47,450 from Halprin between 2004 and 2016. 14 Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Democratic Party arm responsible for electing Democratic senators, received $76,650 from Halprin between 2007 and 2012. 15

Since 2002, Halprin has given $51,200 to liberal candidates and organizations in Massachusetts. 16 Halprin was an early supporter of controversial left-wing U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), giving $500 to her first campaign for Boston City Council in 2009. 17 Halprin also gave to Raise Up Massachusetts in 2013 and 2018, when the union-backed committee was pushing for raising the minimum wage to $11 and $15 respectively. 18

Halprin has given $18,000 to Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) since 2015. 19 PCCC has endorsed Senator Elizabeth Warren for President and three members of the “Squad” U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar. 20 PCCC is in favor of the Green New Deal, “Medicare for All” government-run healthcare, and government funding of college tuition. 21

Between 2001 and 2011, Halprin gave $24,000 to Emily’s List, a group dedicated to electing pro-abortion Democratic women. 22

Halprin has given to high profile left-wing politicians including House Intelligence Committee Chairman U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), self-described socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and former U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA). 23

Democracy for America (DFA) received $13,000 from Halprin between 2013 and 2018. DFA was founded by former Vermont Governor and Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean.

Other

Halprin and his wife Abby Rockefeller hosted a fundraiser for Council for a Livable World and Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. 24 The event featured U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Obama administration foreign policy advisor Sarah Sewall. Halprin also gave money to Council for a Livable World’s project PeacePAC, which has exclusively supported Democratic candidates. 25

Lee Halprin was on the board of the David Rockefeller Fund, a Rockefeller family-associated grantmaking nonprofit. 26 David Rockefeller Fund supports left-of-center advocacy groups, including National People’s Action, Appalachian Voices, and Center for Constitutional Rights. 27

References

  1. “Resistance Rising.” Democratic Left. Winter 2016. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://democraticleft.dsausa.org/files/sites/6/2018/12/DL_2016_V044_03.pdf
  2. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  3. Resistance Rising.” Democratic Left. Winter 2016. Accessed December 14, 2019.  https://democraticleft.dsausa.org/files/sites/6/2018/12/DL_2016_V044_03.pdf
  4. Resistance Rising.” Democratic Left. Winter 2016. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://democraticleft.dsausa.org/files/sites/6/2018/12/DL_2016_V044_03.pdf
  5. “Left Forum 2012.” Left Forum. March 2012. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.leftforum.org/sites/default/files/left-forum-2012-program-guide-web.pdf
  6. “About Us.” About In These Times. Accessed December 14, 2019. http://inthesetimes.com/about/.
  7. In These Times. April 2016. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://resonate.is/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/InTheseTimes40-04.pdf
  8. In These Times. April 2016. Accessed December 14, 2019.  https://resonate.is/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/InTheseTimes40-04.pdf
  9. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  10. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  11. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  12. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  13. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  14. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  15. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  16. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  17. “Search: Halprin, Lee.” Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.ocpf.us/Reports/SearchItems.
  18. “About Us.” RaiseUp Massachusetts. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.raiseupma.org/about-us/.
  19. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  20. “Our Candidates.” Progressive Change Campaign Committee (BoldProgressives.org). Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.boldprogressives.org/candidates/.
  21. “Our Issues.” Progressive Change Campaign Committee (BoldProgressives.org). Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.boldprogressives.org/issues/.
  22. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  23. “Donor Lookup: Lee Halprin.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Lee+Halprin&cycle=&state=MA&zip=&employ=&cand=
  24. “Join Us! October 21 Party with Lee Halprin and Abby Rockefeller.” Council for a Livable World, September 15, 2009. https://livableworld.org/centerjoin-us-october-21-party-with-lee-halprin-and-abby-rockefellercenter/.
  25. “House Candidates.” Council for a Livable World. Accessed December 14, 2019. https://livableworld.org/meet-the-candidates/house-candidates/.
  26. “2006 Annual Report.” The David Rockefeller Fund. Accessed December 14, 2019. http://www.drfund.org/pdf/2006.pdf
  27. David Rockefeller Fund, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014, Part XV Line 3
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