LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman has lengthy been concerned in politics, however his current actions have drawn criticism from each events.
Hoffman is a longtime Democratic donor who not too long ago donated $7 million to an excellent PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris. However following the donation, Hoffman publicly denounced Biden’s chief of the Federal Commerce Fee, Lina Khan, who has been aggressive in her antitrust actions towards huge firms, together with Microsoft, the place Hoffman sits on the board of administrators.
“Lina Khan is…a person who is not helping America,” Hoffman informed CNN. “I would hope that Vice President Harris would replace her.”
Because the November presidential election attracts nearer, tech titans are extra actively taking part in politics, totally on the aspect of Republicans. The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, together with influential enterprise capitalists like Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen, have publicly backed Trump. In the meantime, Harris changing Biden on the high of the Democratic ticket has reenergized Democratic donors, particularly on Wall Road.
However Hoffman’s current feedback about Khan have been shortly rebuked by Democrats, particularly progressives who accused the billionaire donor of meddling.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) praised Khan and stated she was doing an “excellent job” in an announcement to CNN. In the meantime, progressive Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) referred to as out Hoffman for his “arrogance” and stated Khan was among the finest FTC chairs in a very long time.
“Billionaires should not be telling candidates who to be keeping on or not,” Sanders informed CNN. “This 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.”
Hoffman informed CNN that he “certainly” has not pushed for Harris to exchange her if elected, though the vice chairman herself has privately criticized Khan’s broad view of antitrust powers, the New York Instances reported, citing an unnamed donor who spoke along with her privately.
FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar stated Khan stands by her report.
“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,” Farrar stated in an announcement to Fortune.
Hoffman didn’t instantly return Fortune’s request for remark.
Republican Rage
On the opposite aspect of the aisle, Hoffman not too long ago angered Republicans for feedback made simply earlier than the tried assassination of former President Trump. Whereas talking on the elite Solar Valley Convention in Idaho earlier this month, Hoffman butted heads with enterprise capitalist and PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel, based on media outlet, Puck.
Thiel, who has backed former President Donald Trump, sarcastically thanked Hoffman for making Trump right into a martyr by funding E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit towards the previous president. Hoffman reportedly responded that he wished he had made Trump an “actual martyr.” Quickly after, a gunman tried to assassinate Trump at a marketing campaign rally in Pennsylvania and a few on the best condemned Hoffman for his inopportune feedback.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk—who, like Thiel, has backed Trump—referred to as Hoffman out personally in a submit on X following the assassination try.
“The Reid Hoffman’s of the world got their dearest wish … but then the martyr lived,” Musk wrote.
The LinkedIn cofounder was fast to make clear and apologize, saying in an announcement that his phrases have been taken out of context and that “there is no place for political violence in our society.”
