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Ronald Lauder New York City

Résumé:

Ambassador to Austria in the 1980s under President Reagan; deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy; major shareholder of the cosmetics empire named after his late mother, Estée Lauder.

President of the World Jewish Congress; art collector.

Wealth:

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz estimated his worth at $2.7 billion.

Power/Influence:

While he currently has no official connection to the Republican Party, Lauder is one of the party’s most prominent money men and its most influential figure in New York State. Lauder was a key backer of Republican Gov. George Pataki during his three terms in Albany. He is a strong hawk on defense and on Israel. Closely aligned with Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

Role in Campaign ’08:

Fundraising. Also, one of his political confidants, Nelson Warfield, worked briefly as a media consultant to Fred Thompson’s 2008 primary campaign.

Who Knew: Lauder lost a 1989 primary contest to Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

 

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