President Biden arrived at a star-studded fundraiser Saturday evening in downtown Los Angeles that is expected to raise at least $28 million — the largest cash haul from a one-night event in Democratic history.
Former President Obama, George Clooney and Julia Roberts are among the headliners at the gathering at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater. Thousands of Biden supporters paid between $250, for a seat far from the stage, and $500,000 — for a ticket package that includes prime seats, photos with both presidents and a VIP after-party — to attend what is likely to be one of the president’s last major L.A. fundraisers before the November election.
“This Saturday, we are going to see an unprecedented and record-setting turnout from the media and entertainment world,” said media mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, a Democratic megadonor and the only nonelected official who is a co-chair of the president’s reelection campaign. “The enthusiasm and commitment for Biden-Harris couldn’t be stronger. We all understand this is the most important election of our lifetime.”
Biden, who arrived at the theater shortly before 5:30 p.m., was expected to take photos with VIPs prior to the main event, which was scheduled to begin around 6:30 p.m.
Barbra Streisand; Gov. Gavin Newsom; Reps. Ted Lieu, Robert Garcia, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Grace F. Napolitano; singer Paul Anka; and Katzenberg were among the elected officials and celebrities at or near the theater before the fundraiser began. Also spotted was Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León, whom Biden urged to resign in October 2022 after he was heard on a leaked audio with other council members that featured racist and derogatory remarks.
The event drew a few hundred pro-Palestinian protesters who gathered outside Crypto.com Arena, also located in the L.A. Live complex. Some gathered around 5 p.m. outside the arena, chanting: “Biden, Biden, you’re a liar. We demand a cease-fire.”
About 5:30 p.m., protesters blocked an entrance to the event near the JW Marriott hotel, sitting down in front of the gates. Confused attendees approached and wondered how they’d get inside. They were able to enter a gate near the arena as protesters screamed, “Shame on you!”
Protesters later blocked the street outside the hotel after they shut down the gate.
A line of black-clad police in riot helmets ran past pool reporters outside the theater toward a line of fencing.
The event takes place at a critical time for Biden, who is competing with former President Trump for the White House in the general election.
While the Democrat has outpaced the Republican in dollars raised in California and nationally, Trump has seen a burst of donations since being convicted in late May of 34 felonies of falsifying business records about $130,000 in payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, who alleges they had sex in Lake Tahoe during a golf tournament, in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.
The former president’s first fundraising swing after the convictions was in California this month.
Both of the presumptive 2024 nominees’ California money runs take place at a fraught time. National and swing-state polls show a razor’s-edge tight race. And voters, some of whom are apathetic about Biden and Trump partly because of their age, are anxious about domestic economic concerns as well as global tumult — the extended wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas.
Late Friday night, Biden left the Group of 7 summit — a gathering in Italy of leaders of Western nations focused on tackling global issues such as trade, the economy and security — as well as a private meeting with Pope Francis. After a refueling stop at an Air Force base in Maryland, the president landed in Los Angeles around dawn Saturday.
It’s unknown how Biden spent time after he landed; but his son Hunter, who was convicted of three felony gun charges this week, lives in Malibu. In February, Biden spent about 90 minutes with his son and his grandson at the Ivy restaurant on Hunter Biden’s 54th birthday.
The younger Biden has not yet been sentenced for the gun charge convictions, which will almost certainly be appealed. He also faces nine federal tax-related charges in California.
