Overview: Roger Altman worked under two Democratic presidents before founding his successful investment bank. Most of his donations are political and he’s been a reliable donor to the party ever since, though not one of the leading contributors.
Location: New York, NY
Total Donated (2016-2020): $457,800
Top Recipients: Unite the Country, DCCC
Key Issues: Democratic Party Power
Largest Donation to Date: $200,000 to Unite the Country
Profile: Roger Altman describes his upbringing as “classically progressive” and says he was greatly interested in public service. After attending Georgetown University and earning his MBA at the University of Chicago, Altman’s career bounced between Wall Street and Washington, D.C. His first job in finance was at Lehman Brothers, and he would return to the firm after working in President Jimmy Carter’s Treasury Department. He then served as President Bill Clinton’s deputy treasury secretary for two years before resigning amidst the Whitewater investigation. Back to Wall Street, Altman founded the investment bank Evercore in 1995, where he’s worked ever since, and with great success. Additionally, he serves on the Council on Foreign Relations, is a lifetime member of MIT’s Board of Trustees, and he’s a trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Having worked for two Democratic administrations, Altman has remained a reliable Democrat throughout his life. His donor records show he gave modestly to Democrats running for Congress and for governor in a variety of states until the 2016 cycle, when he started giving more to national party funds. He gave roughly $223,000 to help the party, along with a relatively modest gift to the Hillary Victory Fund. He donated about the same amount ahead of the midterms, and in the 2020 cycle, Altman has increased his giving up to $360,980.
Ideological Vibe: Solidly liberal. Since working in the Treasury Department under Carter and Clinton, Altman has exclusively given to Democrats and liberal PACs. Outside of his party campaign fund donations, Altman’s donor record doesn’t give many clues about his ideological lane within the party—he doesn’t get involved in ballot initiative fights and most of the candidates he gives to are incumbents.
Hits and Misses: Altman rarely makes large bets on specific races, opting to give most of his money to party funds. He only gave $33,400 to Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid and typically donates to incumbent candidates, with no notable investments in challengers.
Looking Forward: Given his awkward exit from President Clinton’s administration (some have called him the “fall man” of the scandal) it’s most likely Altman will continue his low-profile giving to Democrats. Expect Altman to continue giving smaller gifts to candidates and larger ones to party funds.
Relationships: Evercore – Founder, Senior Chairman; New York-Presbyterian Hospital – Trustee; MIT Board of Trustee – Lifetime Member
Contact Information: N/A