Alice Walton, Walmart heiress, gave $50,000 to Nassau Democrats

The Nassau Democratic Committee has received a $50,000 donation from Alice Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune.

The contribution, made Nov. 1, showed up in the 24-hour reports required by the state Board of Elections for donations over $1,000 that come in after the 11-day pre-general election campaign finance reports are filed.

Nassau Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs said he had no direct conversations with Walton, of Bentonville, Arkansas, which indicated the contribution came after a contact from an intermediary.

”As a Democrat, I try to make as many friends in as many places as possible,” Jacobs said. “My job is to elect Democrats . . . I didn’t look too deeply into her ideological background. I don’t question people’s motives, and I appreciate their support.”

Walton, worth $42.5 billion, is the country’s wealthiest woman. She gave $2.6 million to the politically conservative Progress for America PAC in 2004, and $200,000 to the Restore our Future PAC associated with Mitt Romney’s presidential bid in 2012. She also gave $353,400 to the Hillary Victory Fund in 2016.  

Locally, Walton gave $450,000 to a group supporting charter schools, New Yorkers for Independent Action, which tried unsuccessfully in 2016 to back a Democratic primary opponent against New York State Assemb. Phil Ramos of Brentwood, and several other lawmakers around the state.