Tech Billionaire Reid Hoffman Slams Money in Politics While Spending Millions

Reid Hoffman, the billionaire who co-founded LinkedIn, is speaking out against the role of money in politics. But his own actions tell a different story. He recently urged people to "get money out of politics" on social media, even as he continues to pour millions into Democratic causes.

Federal Election Commission filings show Hoffman donated $10 million to Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC backing Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. That single contribution was the biggest the group received during the reporting period. He had already given about $1.5 million to other groups supporting Talarico.

The super PAC has used those funds to run ads supporting Talarico and attacking his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Hoffman has also given $250,000 to Rob Sand, a Democrat running for governor of Iowa.

Hoffman has faced criticism for his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier who was convicted of sex crimes. Documents from the Department of Justice show Hoffman discussed visiting Epstein’s private island, ranch in New Mexico, and apartment in New York.

He has also backed E. Jean Carroll’s defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump. Hoffman has said he hates Trump and would spend whatever it takes to defeat him. Critics say this contradicts his calls for reducing the influence of money in politics.

Some legal experts have raised concerns about how wealthy donors use nonprofits and other groups to quietly fund political efforts. These so-called "dark money" organizations do not have to reveal who funds them, making it hard to track where the money comes from.