{"id":2296719,"date":"2024-07-16T18:05:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T22:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-megadonor-should-lose-board-seats-over-trump-martyr-comment-watchdog-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-16T18:07:26","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T22:07:26","slug":"watchdog-calls-for-biden-megadonor-to-be-removed-from-board-seats-after-controversial-trump-comment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdog-calls-for-biden-megadonor-to-be-removed-from-board-seats-after-controversial-trump-comment\/","title":{"rendered":"Watchdog calls for Biden megadonor to be removed from board seats after controversial Trump comment"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwatchdog-calls-for-biden-megadonor-to-be-removed-from-board-seats-after-controversial-trump-comment%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2296719&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-blames-stressful-environment-for-bidens-dogs-biting-spree\/\" title=\"White House blames stress for Biden&#039;s dog&#039;s biting spree.\">conservative\u2062 watchdog group<\/a> is \u2062calling for a Biden megadonor \u2064to lose \u200chis \u200bboard seats \u2062after making\u2063 a controversial comment about President\u2063 Trump before an attempted assassination. The donor, \u200bReid Hoffman, expressed regrets that Trump wasn&#8217;t made a martyr in \u2064response to legal actions against him. The watchdog group believes that such rhetoric undermines democratic values. The call for action comes after the attempted shooting of \u2063Trump at a rally, where Hoffman&#8217;s adviser suggested \u200dthe attack was staged. Hoffman later clarified\u200d his comment, stating that he \u200ddid not intend any harm towards Trump. The \u200cincident highlights the\u200c need \u200cto tone down hateful rhetoric \u2064towards\u200d political opponents.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Biden megadonor should lose board seats over Trump &lsquo;martyr&rsquo; comment: Watchdog<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1704064\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A conservative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/watchdog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>watchdog<\/a> group is calling on Reid Hoffman, the billionaire Democratic megadonor supporting President Joe Biden&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>2024<\/a> reelection, to be removed from influential board seats after a comment he <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/RPjsX\/again?url=https:\/\/puck.news\/peter-thiel-reid-hoffman-face-off-in-sun-valley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>reportedly<\/a> made before the attempted assassination of former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hoffman told GOP megadonor and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel at a conference in Idaho on Friday, before a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3082180\/trump-rewrites-republican-convention-speech-focus-unity-not-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>would-be assassin came close<\/a> to shooting Trump to death on Saturday, that he wished he &ldquo;had made [Trump] an&nbsp;<em>actual<\/em>&nbsp;martyr&rdquo; in response to Thiel discussing lawsuits Hoffman supported against Trump. But in light of what occurred just the next day, Hoffman should resign or step down from his role on the boards of Microsoft and the Pentagon-housed Defense Innovation Board, according to the National Legal and Policy Center, which said Hoffman&rsquo;s rhetoric was irresponsible.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Sarcasm or not, Hoffman has made clear that he doesn&rsquo;t think Donald Trump has any civil rights, and that he and other billionaires should pick the president, not the American people,&rdquo; Paul Chesser, director of the corporate integrity project at the National Legal and Policy Center, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Some holders of great wealth seek to help the less fortunate or promote freedom and decency,&rdquo; Chesser said. &ldquo;Hoffman has instead sought to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pelosi-mocks-trumps-finances-person-without-dollars-and-values\/\" title=\"Pelosi taunts Trump: &#039;No money&#039; and &#039;morals\">undermine democratic norms<\/a> and values.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The watchdog&rsquo;s call for action comes in the aftermath of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/columnists\/3082224\/trump-im-not-supposed-to-be-here\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>shots ringing out<\/a> on Saturday at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where authorities say 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, nearly took the life of the 45th president. One bullet skimmed Trump&rsquo;s ear, prompting the former president to duck to the ground as Secret Service agents rushed to cover him. Trump later stood up with blood on his ear and face and lifted his fist up in the air before being escorted away in a vehicle.<\/p>\n<p><em>Puck<\/em> was first to report on Hoffman&rsquo;s comment Friday, while <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.semafor.com\/article\/07\/14\/2024\/top-democrat-pushed-reporters-to-consider-staged-shooting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Semafor<\/a><\/em>  reported that Dmitri Mehlhorn, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-using-national-spotlight-to-raise-money-for-reelection\/\" title=\"DeSantis Using National Spotlight to Raise Money for Reelection\">top political adviser<\/a> to Hoffman, suggested the Trump attack was &ldquo;staged.&rdquo; Mehlhorn later apologized and Hoffman, as far as his &ldquo;martyr&rdquo; comment, posted a lengthy <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/reidhoffman\/status\/1812528484851531780?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>statement<\/a> on X seeking to clarify it.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is abhorrent that anyone has tried to assassinate President Trump,&rdquo; Hoffman said. &ldquo;Everyone, on all sides of this election, should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdog-calls-for-biden-megadonor-to-be-removed-from-board-seats-after-trump-martyr-remark\/\" title=\"Watchdog calls for Biden megadonor to be removed from board seats after Trump &#039;martyr&#039; remark\">condemn political violence loudly<\/a> and publicly.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A point of clarification on a recent comment of mine that has been reported out of context,&rdquo; Hoffman added. &ldquo;At a recent business conference, Peter Thiel said that my lawsuit work against Trump was &lsquo;turning a clown into a martyr.&rsquo; In that context, I replied that I wished that Trump would martyr himself &mdash; meaning let himself be held accountable &mdash; for his assaults on and lies about women. Of course I meant nothing about any sort of physical harm or violence, which I categorically deplore.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Still, to the National Legal and Policy Center, which &ldquo;promotes integrity in corporate governance, including honesty and fair play in relationships with shareholders, employees, business partners, and customers,&rdquo; Hoffman&rsquo;s &ldquo;martyr&rdquo; comment is a window into how Democrats need to tone down hateful rhetoric about Trump and Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>In the weeks before the attempted assassination of Trump, Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/biden-democrats-ramped-up-rhetoric-against-trump-in-weeks-before-assassination-attempt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>called<\/a> Trump &ldquo;a genuine threat to this nation&rdquo; and &ldquo;literally a threat for everything America stands for.&rdquo; The president also said this is &ldquo;the most dangerous election in American history&rdquo; and said Trump &ldquo;really could become a dictator.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Hoffman, a venture capitalist who has given $7 million to a Biden-allied super PAC, is also the co-founder of the social media platform LinkedIn. <\/p>\n<p>The Defense Department board Hoffman is on is chaired by ex-New York City Mayor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michael-bloomberg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Michael Bloomberg<\/a>. It &ldquo;provides independent recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and other senior DoD leaders on emerging technologies and innovative approaches that DoD should adopt to ensure U.S. technological and military dominance,&rdquo; according to the Defense Department. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Defense Innovation Board is engaged in the task of using technology to strengthen our defense in a dangerous world,&rdquo; National Legal and Policy Center Chairman Peter Flaherty said. &ldquo;It conducts serious business. It is no place for an unserious character like Reid Hoffman.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Hoffman did not return a request for comment. The Pentagon and Microsoft declined to comment. <\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1704064\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1704064\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A conservative watchdog group is calling for Reid Hoffman, a major Democratic donor, to step down from his influential board positions after making a controversial comment about former President Trump. The group believes that Hoffman&#8217;s rhetoric was irresponsible and undermines democratic values. The call for action comes after an attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. Hoffman has since clarified his comment, stating that he did not mean any harm or violence towards Trump. The watchdog group believes that Democrats need to tone down their hateful rhetoric towards Trump and Republicans. Hoffman, who has donated millions to a Biden-aligned super PAC, sits on the board of Microsoft and the Defense Innovation Board, which provides recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on emerging technologies. The group believes that Hoffman is not fit for such serious roles and should step down. Hoffman has not responded to requests for comment, and both the Pentagon and Microsoft declined to comment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":2296720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Reid-Hoffman-Biden-watchdog-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[3620,35257,8300,3634,6056],"class_list":["post-2296719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-biden","tag-board-seats","tag-megadonor","tag-trump","tag-watchdog"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Reid-Hoffman-Biden-watchdog-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2296719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/381"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2296719"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2296719\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2296720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2296719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2296719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2296719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}