WASHINGTON — The first major donations to President Obama’s presidential library are rolling in from New York and Chicago, two cities that are competing vigorously to host the future library.
Since launching in February, the Barack Obama Foundation has raised at least $850,000 from four major donors, the group said Tuesday. The foundation is voluntarily disclosing donations of more than $200, but only in broad dollar ranges. The nonprofit declined to say how much it has raised in total.
Tim Collins, a New York-based private equity investor, gave between $250,001 and $500,000. So did James Simons and his wife, Marilyn. A mathematician and hedge fund manager, Simons is on the Forbes list of billionaires.
New York resident Mark Gallogly and his wife, Lise Strickler, donated between $100,000 and $250,000, the foundation said. Gallogly is an investor appointed by Obama to serve on two White House economic panels, and he is on the board of the business school at Columbia University, where Obama attended college. Columbia is mounting a bid to host Obama’s library.