José E. Feliciano, the cofounder of private equity giant Clearlake Capital Group, has become the latest high-profile Puerto Rican to condemn the remarks made by speaker Tony Hinchcliffe at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday. One of many to take the stage, Hinchcliffe described Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean.”
“While I like to keep my posts nonpartisan and centered on business, I feel compelled to address recent hurtful comments directed at Puerto Rico,” Feliciano, a native of Puerto Rico who now lives in Los Angeles, wrote in a post on LinkedIn yesterday evening. “As Puerto Ricans, we are deeply woven into this American fabric… Puerto Rico is NOT ‘garbage’; to the contrary, it is an island of proud people, rich culture, and a dedication to family values.”
“I have a deep love for this country,” Feliciano continued. “My story wouldn’t be possible anywhere else. As such, I urge all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to recognize the power of their voice and their vote.”
Feliciano’s comments mark a rare foray into the political sphere from the 51-year-old investment tycoon, who is worth an estimated $4.4 billion, making him one of the 400 wealthiest Americans. (The only other Puerto Rico-born Forbes 400 member, fellow private equity tycoon Orlando Bravo, who has not donated to Trump or Harris, could not be reached for comment.)
Feliciano was born and raised in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, before moving to the U.S. in 1990 to attend Princeton University. He later received his MBA from Stanford University and worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. In 2006, he cofounded Clearlake Capital with Iranian-American investor Behdad Eghbali. The two are managing partners of the firm, which now oversees over $85 billion in assets, and helped finance the takeover of Chelsea Football Club in 2022.
Feliciano’s remarks are the latest in a string of condemnations and endorsements of Kamala Harris from well-known Puerto Ricans following the incendiary Trump rally. Musical artists Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin all reposted a video from the Harris campaign on Instagram, in which she pledged to support Puerto Rico’s economy. Actor and screenwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, best known for creating Hamilton, also spoke out and voiced his support for Harris.
Feliciano did not endorse Harris in his post, but he is backing her campaign. Federal campaign filings show that in December 2023, Feliciano gave $400,000 to the Harris Action Fund PAC, $3,300 to Harris’ principal campaign committee, and $145,600 to the Democratic National Committee. He also previously gave $2,300 to Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and $2,800 to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.
Feliciano has been approached for further comment.
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