Relativity Media may be dying a painful death, but thanks to lefty investor and former Clinton BFF Ron Burkle, at least one of Relativity’s offshoots will live on. For now.
On Oct. 7, Burkle announced that he would be dropping $30 million into Relativity Sports to keep the athlete marketing business alive. Burkle, who was a founding member of Relativity Sports, will be increasing his influence in the company by now serving as chairman of the board, as well.
Burkle has made his $1.62 billion fortune as the founder and managing partner of The Yucaipa Companies, a firm that invests in a variety of businesses, including retail, entertainment, and hospitality. He has used the money and notoriety from Yucaipa to heavily bolster Democrat and liberal politicians. Relativity Sports is just one more avenue for Burkle to exert his liberal influence.
In the past, Burkle has funded several unsuccessful media ventures. In 2004, for example, Burkle helped former vice president Al Gore purchase a 24-hour cable news channel and began the liberal video channel, Current TV. After the purchase, ratings nose-dived and in 2013 Al Jazeera purchased the channel.
in 2013, Burkle formed an alliance with former Hollywood Reporter CEO Richard Beckman to create Three Lions Entertainment. The Wrap reported that at the time Burkle was also involved in a variety of other entertainment investments, including financing movies with The Weinstein Company. A year and a half later, Three Lions Entertainment also fell apart and faced liquidation.
Between 2000 and 2014, Burkle donated $1,428,600 to Democrat campaigns and PACs, including both Clinton and Obama’s 2008 campaigns. He gave a comparatively measly $8,700 to a few Republican candidates -- or 163 times more to Democrats. Burkle has gone beyond just donations, and is personally involved in Hollywood fundraising as well.
From Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign through 2008, Burkle and the Clintons were inseparable. Throughout the 1990s Burkle’s Beverly Hills mansion “was a de facto headquarters for political fundraising,” for the Democratic Party, according to The Daily Beast. Between 1993 and 2008, Burkle reportedly channeled, “$50 million or more into Democratic coffers,” The Washington Post reported. After Bill left office, Burkle hired him as an “adviser to two domestic investment funds and a partner in a foreign fund.”
In 2008, The Post reported that Clinton cut ties with Burkle over fear that Yucaipa’s questionable business dealings could negatively impact Hillary’s 2008 presidential campaign. However, that didn’t stop Burkle from staying involved in liberal politics.
The LA Times reported that in 2011, he hosted a fundraiser at his home featuring singer Elton John. The event raised more than $3 million, “for the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the nonprofit sponsoring the federal court challenge of Proposition 8.”
Burkle hosted a similar fundraiser at his home in 2013 for Democratic senate candidate Cory Booker of New Jersey. Co-hosts for the event included celebrities Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Garner.
