Old-school politic$
Pro-charter fat cats topped elex donors
Last Updated: 3:42 AM, January 4, 2011
Posted: 1:16 AM, January 4, 2011
Comments: 0
PrintALBANY -- Wealthy boosters of charter schools, led by billionaire hedge-funder Bruce Kovner, were among the top donors to candidates for state office in 2010, according to a fund-raising analysis released yesterday.
The campaign-finance report by a coalition of good-government groups found Kovner, whose hedge fund, Caxton Associates, manages some $10 billion in assets, gave $283,200 to state campaigns last year, more than any other individual donor.
Kovner's contributions crossed party lines, including $55,900 to Democratic former Gov. David Paterson. The financier gave $130,000 to Republican candidates in their successful effort to recapture the state Senate.
The Brooklyn-born and Harvard-educated hedge-fund manager keeps a low profile on the city's social scene but has been an important backer of conservative issues and education for inner-city kids.
Kovner sits on the board of the conservative American Enterprise Institute and supports various charter schools around the state, including Bronx Preparatory. He also is the founder and chairman of the School Choice Scholarships Foundation, which rewards low-income kids in
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