Law and regulation

Friends of Barack

By Kate Davidson

Published March 02, 2012, 5:17 p.m. EST

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Updated March 02, 2012, 4:17 p.m. EST

1 Min Read

Despite his harsh rhetoric directed at the financial industry, President Obama still raked in millions last week at four separate fundraising events for his supporters on Wall Street.

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The evening included a swanky, $38,500 per plate dinner at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ABC Kitchen. (Hat tip to Politico for posting the invitation). The hosts included UBS Investment Bank President Robert Wolf, billionaire hedge fund manager Marc Lasry, financier and Obama bundler Orin Kramer, former UBS vice chairman Blair Effron and Centerbridge Partner cofounder and former Blackstone executive Mark Gallogly.

He attended a later, $1,000 per-person gala at ABC Carpet & Home with approximately 900 guests — hosts included Deepak Chopra and Russell Simmons, with performances by The Roots and Ben Folds Five.

And he capped off the night with a $10,000 per-person "dessert reception" at the home of James Costos and former White House decorator Michael Smith.

"I also want to announce because John Legend is here, I will not sing tonight," Obama said at the last event.

"Don't steal my job," Legend joked.

Kate Davidson is a reporter in American Banker's Washington bureau, where she covers the Treasury Department, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau... Read full bio

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