George Clooney, who’s co-hosting two pricey fundraisers for Hillary Clinton this weekend, said he agreed with Clinton opponent Bernie Sanders’ criticism about the “obscene amount of money” spent on modern American politics.
“The Sanders campaign when they talk about it is absolutely right. It’s ridiculous that we should have this kind of money in politics,” the actor told NBC’s Chuck Todd on Saturday in an interview to air on Sunday’s “Meet the Press.”
Todd noted that some couples spent as much as $353,000 to sit at the same table as Clinton, Clooney and his wife, Amal, during two high-profile fundraisers for the former Secretary of State on Friday in San Francisco and Saturday night in Los Angeles.
The L.A. event, which will take place in the Clooneys’ home, costs $33,400 per person. The two events are expected to raise several million dollars.
“Yes, I think it’s an obscene amount of money,” Clooney said. “I think that, you know, we had some protesters last night when we pulled up in San Francisco and they’re right to protest. They’re absolutely right.”
Two weeks ago, Sanders addressed the actor’s involvement in his Democratic rival’s big-money campaigning directly.
“I have a lot of respect for George Clooney. He’s a great actor. I like him,” said the Vermont senator, noting that his fundraising events usually cost “$15 or $50.” “But this is the problem with American politics … Big money is dominating our political system. And [my supporters and I] are trying to move as far away from that as we can.”