Sheldon Adelson 'Advocated' for Trump to Grant Clemency to Michael Milken; Plans Major Fundraiser

Many of the pardons announced Tuesday were advocated by well-heeled friends of the president, including Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate, Tom Barrack, a longtime Trump confidant and the chairman of his inaugural committee, and Fox News personality Maria Bartiromo.

Milken's advocates, for example, included all of the above — along with Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney. It was Giuliani who charged Milken with 98 felony counts, including racketeering, insider trading and securities fraud, when he served as the top federal prosecutor in New York City in 1989.

"He paid a big price, paid a very tough price," Trump said of Milken, who was among a small group of GOP mega donors who spent Election Night 2018 at the White House, according to media reports.

"This pardon has widespread and longstanding support, including from the following individuals: Dr. Miriam Adelson, Sheldon Adelson, David Bahnsen, Tom Barrack, Maria Bartiromo, Ron Burkle, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, William Ford, Josh Friedman, Rudy Guiliani, Josh Harris, Rabbi Marvin Hier, Ray Irani, Robert Kraft, Richard LeFrak, Randy Levine, Howard Lorber, Representative Kevin McCarthy, Larry Mizel, Arte Moreno, Rupert Murdoch, Sean Parker, John Paulson, Nelson Peltz, Steven Roth, David Rubenstein, Larry Ruvo, Marc Stern, Steven Tananbaum, Ted Virtue, Andrew von Eschenbach, Mark Weinberger, and Gary Winnick."

“Attendees are being asked to give $100,000 to get into the dinner and $250,000 per person in order to sit for a roundtable discussion.” https://t.co/s2Hoj9kSfO

— Eli Clifton (@EliClifton) February 19, 2020

Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is throwing his financial might behind President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.

Adelson, a multi-billionaire who is the Republican Party’s most prominent giver, is slated to host a March 12 fundraiser for Trump at his palatial Las Vegas home, according to two people familiar with the plans. The event is expected to draw large sums for the president’s reelection campaign: Attendees are being asked to give $100,000 to get into the dinner and $250,000 per person in order to sit for a roundtable discussion.

[...] The dinner comes just before the start of the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual meeting, which will be held March 13-15 at Adelson’s Venetian resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Adelson is a major funder to the RJC, which Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attended last year. [...]

Trump has raised massive amounts of money for his reelection campaign. But with billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg already pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into his Democratic primary campaign, Republican officials are hoping that Adelson donates substantially to the president.

[...] The Adelsons were the GOP’s most prolific donors during the midterm elections, giving over $100 million to conservative causes and groups — including a combined $10 million to America First Action, the principal pro-Trump super PAC, making them the group's largest donors. But they have yet to donate to the group in the current two-year election cycles.