Thursday, March 28, 2024
HometechnologyFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly hires Democratic pollster Joel Benenson

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly hires Democratic pollster Joel Benenson

  • Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, and his wife Priscilla Chan, hired a former top advisor to President Barack Obama
  • Joel Benenson, and his company, will conduct research for Zuckerberg and Chan's philanthropy
  • He was most recently chief strategist to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.Getty Images

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, hired a Democratic pollster and former top advisor to President Barack Obama as a consultant, according to a report from Politico.

The report, citing a person familiar with the matter, said Joel Benenson and his company, Benenson Strategy Group, will conduct research for the couple's philanthropy — the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Hiring Benenson is the latest sign that Zuckerberg and Chan are pushing their philanthropic work more heavily into the political and policy world, according to Politico. The report pointed out that the couple previously hired Obama's 2008 presidential campaign manager David Plouffe and brought on Amy Dudley, who was a former communications advisor to Democratic senator Tim Kaine.

Still, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC after the initial report that the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is working with Benenson Strategy Group on a single project, and that it does not have any long-term consulting contract with them.

There has been public speculation that Zuckerberg could be aiming to one day enter politics, or even run for U.S. president.

Most recently, Benenson was the chief strategist to Hillary Clinton's unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign.

"As a philanthropic organization focused on a number of substantive issues including science, education, housing and criminal justice reform, any research efforts we undertake is to support that work," a spokesperson for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative told CNBC in response to a query about the implications of hiring Benenson as a consultant.

Read more about Benenson's hiring and speculation about Zuckerberg's political ambitions here.

RELATED ARTICLES
- Advertisment -

Most Popular