Orin Kramer is a hedge fund manager and a Democratic Party fundraiser. He also served in the Carter administration on the White House domestic policy staff.

He has also served on various commissions for Democratic governors across the country. Kramer is also on the board of directors for the Center for American Progress Action Fund¹ and the Climate Reality Project. ²

Kramer is famous for becoming one of the first major Wall Street fundraisers for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. In the 2020 campaign, he became one of the first major fundraisers for South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.

Early life

Orin Kramer was born in 1945. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a law degree from Columbia University. ³

In the 1976 presidential election, he was issues director for the Jimmy Carter campaign. ⁴ In 1977, he entered the Carter administration as an associate director on the domestic policy staff. He became the administration’s point man on New York’s fiscal crisis. ⁵ He left the administration when it ended in 1981.

After the Carter administration, Kramer went to Wall Street where he became a hedge fund manager. Kramer later became managing partner of Boston Provident LP. ⁶

Democratic Fundraiser

Kramer has become a prolific fundraiser for Democratic candidates. He was a major donor to Al Gore’s presidential campaign. During the Democratic National Convention in 2000, Kramer caught the attention of Secret Service agents by laying down on the ground and using his backpack as a pillow. ⁷

Kramer was made a national finance chairman of John Kerry’s presidential campaign. In 2004, at a dinner with Kerry he was reprimanded by the host for leaving the table and taking a mid-meal walk without explanation. ⁸

He became close to then-New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (D). Corzine made him chairman of the New Jersey State Investment Council, putting him in charge of the state’s $82 billion public pension fund. ⁹

In the 2008 presidential race, Kramer shocked many by becoming a fundraiser for Barack Obama. Kramer was introduced to Obama in 2003 and had lunch with him. The two men stayed in touch, even contacting Kramer to praise an article he wrote on tax policy for the American Prospect. Despite being courted by the Hillary Clinton campaign, Kramer decided to raise money for Obama. ¹⁰

After Obama’s election victory in 2008, Kramer became known as a man who could help former Obama administration staffers transition to the private sector. In 2012, former Obama “body man” Reggie White received money from Kramer to help his transition out of the White House. Kramer told Buzzfeed that White was not on Boston Provident’s payroll. ¹¹

In the 2012 election, Kramer raised over $2 million for the Obama reelection effort. He also co-hosted a party for many in the financial industry at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. ¹²

In 2013, he joined New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s (D) transition team. ¹³

In 2016, he supported Hillary Clinton’s bid for President. ¹⁴

In the 2020 presidential election, he became a fundraiser for South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. The decision to back Buttigieg was seen as a blow to U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), whom Kramer had backed in the past. ¹⁵

Kramer was among a group of Democratic donors who blasted potential independent presidential candidate and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. “Wouldn’t want to own Starbucks if he did it,” Kramer said in a CNBC article. “Starbucks is disproportionately in urban areas, and 40 percent of urban areas hate this guy [Trump]. “This guy is giving Trump a gift, and there is no contrary interpretation.” ¹⁶

1. Center for American Progress Action Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part VII Section A
2. Climate Reality Project, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part VII Section A
3. Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
4. Wildstein, David. 2019. “Orin Kramer Is Now A Pete Buttigieg Fundraiser”. New Jersey Globe. https://newjerseyglobe.com/national/orin-kramer-is-now-a-pete-buttigieg-fundraiser/.   
5. Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
6. Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
7.    Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
8. Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
9. Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
10. Horowitz, Jason. 2008. “Orin Kramer, King Of The New York Obamasaurs”. Observer. https://observer.com/2008/08/orin-kramer-king-of-the-new-york-obamasaurs/2/.
11. Cramer, Ruby. 2012. “Financier Eased Obama Aide’s Path From Government”. Buzzfeed News. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/financier-eased-obama-aides-path-from-government.
12. Cramer, Ruby. 2012. “Financier Eased Obama Aide’s Path From Government”. Buzzfeed News. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/financier-eased-obama-aides-path-from-government.
13. Taylor, Matt. 2013. “NYC Mayor-Elect Bill De Blasio Taps Rabbis Sharon Kleinbaum And Michael Miller For Transition Team”. Tablet Magazine. https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/153665/bill-de-blasios-two-new-rabbinical-allies.
14. Schwartz, Brian. 2019. “Democratic Donors Slam Howard Schultz For Flirting With An Independent 2020 Campaign”. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/wall-street-ny-democratic-donors-slam-howard-schultz-over-possible-run.html.
15. Wildstein, David. 2019. “Orin Kramer Is Now A Pete Buttigieg Fundraiser”. New Jersey Globe. https://newjerseyglobe.com/national/orin-kramer-is-now-a-pete-buttigieg-fundraiser/.
16. Schwartz, Brian. 2019. “Democratic Donors Slam Howard Schultz For Flirting With An Independent 2020 Campaign”. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/28/wall-street-ny-democratic-donors-slam-howard-schultz-over-possible-run.html.