Richard Blum
(courtesy of Daily Bruin)
Posted on 03/21/2007 6:19:03 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
They are one of California's most influential political couples: four-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Richard Blum, a wealthy businessman, philanthropist and behind-the-scenes political advisor.
For decades, first as San Francisco mayor and then as senator, Feinstein has had the public persona while Blum has operated in the background. Now, at 71, Blum has stepped into the limelight to take over as chairman of the University of California Board of Regents.
--snip--
Blum was appointed to a 12-year term on the 26-member board in 2002 by then-Gov. Gray Davis, to whom Blum and his companies had given more than $75,000 in campaign donations. But Blum said he felt so ineffective during the first few months that he was ready to resign from the coveted post.
"When I first came on board, I almost quit after the first two or three meetings," he said. "It was hard seeing the way the place was run how to have an impact. I can't just go to something and not to try to reshape the place."
Reshaping things is what Blum has been doing for more than 40 years as a corporate investor.
As a young man, he put together a deal to buy the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for $8 million and sold it four years later for $40 million. That helped give him his stake and he went on to make major investments in companies such as Northwest Airlines.
--snip--
There is no question that Blum is well-connected. For his 70th birthday in 2005, he played host to a bash in San Francisco that was attended by former President Carter and the Dalai Lama. He also is close friends with former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale, who almost named Feinstein his running mate in 1984.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Feinstein's husband bankrupted Northwest Airlines! ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1493324/posts
Good luck children!
Arrrrrrrgggggh! The two "Old Blues" in this house are appalled that Feinstein & Co. will get their paws on our alma mater.
From the article;
"Over the years, Feinstein's political rivals have accused Blum of using his political connections and his position as a senator's husband to promote his business interests, particularly in China, but he has long denied any inappropriate business dealings."
And no mention of the contracts that went to Bechtel or to Perini to rebuild Iraq. But I guess that's OK, after all, as long as it wasn't (shudder) Haliburton!!!
And the 'Rats had the gall to talk about "a culture of corruption" in Congress when the GOP was in the majority last year!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.