{"id":248226,"date":"2024-07-26T20:24:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T20:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/26\/linkedin-billionaire-reid-hoffman-has-successfully-angered-both-democrats-and-republicans\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:13:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:13:50","slug":"linkedin-billionaire-reid-hoffman-has-successfully-angered-both-democrats-and-republicans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/26\/linkedin-billionaire-reid-hoffman-has-successfully-angered-both-democrats-and-republicans\/","title":{"rendered":"LinkedIn billionaire Reid Hoffman has successfully angered both Democrats and Republicans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1833911985-e1722021824893.jpg?w=2048\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/linkedin\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/linkedin\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a> cofounder Reid Hoffman has long been involved in politics, but his recent actions have drawn criticism from both parties.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Hoffman is a longtime Democratic donor who recently donated $7 million to a super PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris. But following the donation, Hoffman publicly denounced Biden\u2019s leader of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, who has been <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/06\/14\/ftc-chair-lina-khan-tech-mob-boss-ai-openai-microsoft-nvidia\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/06\/14\/ftc-chair-lina-khan-tech-mob-boss-ai-openai-microsoft-nvidia\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">aggressive in her antitrust actions<\/a> against big companies, including <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/microsoft\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/microsoft\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft<\/a>, where Hoffman sits on the board of directors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLina Khan is\u2026a person who is not helping America,\u201d Hoffman <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2024\/07\/26\/business\/reid-hoffman-kamala-harris-ftc-khan\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2024\/07\/26\/business\/reid-hoffman-kamala-harris-ftc-khan\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\">told <em>CNN<\/em><\/a>. \u201cI would hope that Vice President Harris would replace her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the November presidential election draws closer, tech titans are more actively participating in politics, mostly on the side of Republicans. The world\u2019s richest man, Elon Musk, along with influential venture capitalists like Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen, have publicly <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/18\/tech-billionaires-trump-vance-elections-regulators-politics\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/18\/tech-billionaires-trump-vance-elections-regulators-politics\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">backed Trump<\/a>. Meanwhile, Harris replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket has reenergized Democratic donors, <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/24\/wall-street-kamala-harris-campaign-fundraising-presidential-election\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/24\/wall-street-kamala-harris-campaign-fundraising-presidential-election\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">especially on Wall Street<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But Hoffman\u2019s recent comments about Khan were quickly rebuked by Democrats, especially progressives who accused the billionaire donor of meddling.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) praised Khan and said she was doing an \u201cexcellent job\u201d in a statement to <em>CNN<\/em>. Meanwhile, progressive Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) called out Hoffman for his \u201carrogance\u201d and said Khan was one of the best FTC chairs in a long time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBillionaires should not be telling candidates who to be keeping on or not,\u201d Sanders told <em>CNN<\/em>. \u201cThis concerns me because Lina Khan is doing a great job and I would hope and expect that the VP, if she wins, keeps her on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hoffman told <em>CNN<\/em> that he \u201ccertainly\u201d has not pushed for Harris to replace her if elected, although the vice president herself has privately criticized Khan\u2019s broad view of antitrust powers, the <em>New York Times<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/07\/24\/business\/kamala-harris-business-policies-economy.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/07\/24\/business\/kamala-harris-business-policies-economy.html\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\">reported<\/a>, citing an unnamed donor who spoke with her privately.<\/p>\n<p>FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said Khan stands by her record.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong>Chair Khan is honored to serve in the Biden Harris administration, where she has protected consumers, workers, and entrepreneurs from illegal conduct and corporate abuse,\u201d Farrar said in a statement to <em>Fortune<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Hoffman did not immediately return <em>Fortune<\/em>\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Republican Rage<\/h2>\n<p>On the other side of the aisle, Hoffman recently angered Republicans for comments made just before the attempted assassination of former President Trump. While speaking at the <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/09\/sun-valley-conference-2024-allen-co-attendees-billionaires-list-warren-buffett-elon-musk\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/09\/sun-valley-conference-2024-allen-co-attendees-billionaires-list-warren-buffett-elon-musk\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">elite Sun Valley Conference<\/a> in Idaho earlier this month, Hoffman butted heads with venture capitalist and <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/paypal-holdings\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/paypal-holdings\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">PayPal<\/a> cofounder Peter Thiel, <a href=\"https:\/\/puck.news\/peter-thiel-reid-hoffman-face-off-in-sun-valley\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/puck.news\/peter-thiel-reid-hoffman-face-off-in-sun-valley\/\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\">according to media outlet, Puck<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Thiel, who has backed former President Donald Trump, sarcastically thanked Hoffman for making Trump into a martyr by funding <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/05\/15\/trump-presidency-loss-of-democracy-risk-e-jean-carroll-attorney-roberta-kaplan-interview\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/05\/15\/trump-presidency-loss-of-democracy-risk-e-jean-carroll-attorney-roberta-kaplan-interview\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">E. Jean Carroll\u2019s lawsuit<\/a> against the former president. Hoffman reportedly responded that he wished he had made Trump an \u201cactual martyr.\u201d Soon after, a gunman tried to <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/15\/trump-assassination-attempt-timeline\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/15\/trump-assassination-attempt-timeline\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">assassinate Trump<\/a> at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and some on the right condemned Hoffman for his inopportune comments.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/tesla\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/tesla\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">Tesla<\/a> CEO Elon Musk\u2014who, like Thiel, has backed Trump\u2014called Hoffman out personally in a post on <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/twitter\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/company\/twitter\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a> following the assassination attempt.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Reid Hoffman\u2019s of the world got their dearest wish \u2026 but then the martyr lived,\u201d Musk <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1812276202184589329\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1812276202184589329\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The LinkedIn cofounder was quick to <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/15\/linkedin-co-founder-reid-hoffman-comment-trump-actual-martyr-backlash\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Go to https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/15\/linkedin-co-founder-reid-hoffman-comment-trump-actual-martyr-backlash\/\" class=\"sc-82aca549-0 klXAci\" rel=\"noopener\">clarify and apologize<\/a>, saying in a statement that his words were taken out of context and that \u201cthere is no place for political violence in our society.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2024\/07\/26\/reid-hoffman-angers-democrats-republicans-trump-harris-lina-khan\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman has long been involved in politics, but his recent actions have drawn criticism from both parties. Hoffman is a longtime<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":248227,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248226"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/248227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=248226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=248226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}