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Virginia James | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Occupation | Investor |
Virginia James, also known as Virginia Manheimer [1] and Virginia Gilder, [2] [3] is a self-employed investor and conservative donor.
James grew up in Passaic, New Jersey and Levittown, Pennsylvania. While working as a secretary on Wall Street, she met her husband, Richard Gilder. [2] The couple divorced in 1994. [4] James lives in Lambertville, New Jersey. [5] James graduated from Columbia University. [2]
James is Chairwoman of the Empire Foundation for Policy Research, founder of A Brighter Choice (ABC) Scholarships, and a member of the board of the Foundation for Education Reform and Accessibility. [6] James and her ex-husband helped found the Empire Foundation, a conservative think tank, in 1991. [2] James is a supporter of school vouchers. In 1996, James offered to pay for 90% of the private school tuition for any student of Giffen Memorial, an Albany primary school. [4]
James is a co-founder of The Club for Growth, [7] to which she donated $700,000 in 2008. [1] James is on the leadership council of the Club for Growth. [8] James donated $1 million in 2014, $500,000 in 2013, $1.2 million in 2012, and $350,000 in 2010 to the Club for Growth Action. [3] [9] James has also donated to George Pataki, [2] Ted Cruz, Richard Mourdock, [10] and Steve Lonegan. [11] James was a major supporter of Let Freedom Ring, John Templeton, Jr.'s organization that opposed the election of Barack Obama in 2008. [1] James donated $200,000 to Women Speak Out PAC, a project of the Susan B. Anthony List that opposed the re-election of Barack Obama. [12] James donated $400,000 to All Children Matter, Dick Devos's school voucher advocacy group. [13]
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