Brian Slodysko, finance and politics newsman, Washington, reported on a lavish wine cave fundraiser for Pete Buttigieg in Napa, California, that became a key issue during the Democratic debate on Dec. 19. His curiosity piqued after a source provided him with a copy of an invitation to an exclusive Buttigieg fundraiser, Slodysko picked up details that made it clear this wasn’t just any fundraiser. The room included a chandelier with 1,500 Swarovski crystals, an onyx banquet table and $900 bottles of cabernet. The story raised the issue of rich donors wielding outsized political influence and dominated the week’s presidential debate as fellow candidate Elizabeth Warren pressed Buttigieg about why he would need to hold a fundraiser in such a venue. By the end of the night, “wine cave” had entered America’s political lexicon. https://bit.ly/379yVBr
How ‘wine cave’ found its way into a debate and your vocabulary
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks as South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg raises his hand to respond during the Dec. 19, 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate in Los Angeles. Warren criticized Buttigieg for his fundraiser at a pricey Napa, Calif., “wine cave,” revealed in an AP exclusive.
AP Photo / Chris Carlson