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Welcome back to The Stratosphere. In today’s issue, a close look at this cycle’s political kingmakers in Silicon Valley—and how Nikki Haley may have outpunched Ron DeSantis. Plus, dish on S.B.F.’s immensely lucky legal break, which lets many of his political allies off the hook thanks to a technicality.
 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
The Stratosphere

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Welcome back to The Stratosphere.

In today’s issue, a close look at this cycle’s political kingmakers in Silicon Valley—and how Nikki Haley may have outpunched Ron DeSantis. Plus, dish on S.B.F.’s immensely lucky legal break, which lets many of his political allies off the hook thanks to a technicality.

Mentioned in this email: WhatsApp founder Jan Koum; one Lawrence J. Ellison; DeSantis mega-donors Saul Fox and Doug Leone; bundlers Dick Boyce and Gregory Wendt; PayPal Mafia members Reid Hoffman and David Sacks: R.F.K. allies Gavin De Becker and Tim Mellon; and friends of Sam Bankman-Fried like Michael Sadowsky, Sean McElwee, Ryan Salame, Nishad Singh and brother Gabe.

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DeSantis’s Donor Disappointment & S.B.F.’s Forever Purgatory
DeSantis’s Donor Disappointment & S.B.F.’s Forever Purgatory
The ’24 kingmakers in Silicon Valley have at last been revealed, and this cycle is full of surprises—think Jan Koum, not Elon Musk. Plus, are Bankman-Fried’s former political allies finally off the hook?
TEDDY SCHLEIFER TEDDY SCHLEIFER
Over the last two years, the dominant theme in Silicon Valley politics has been the backlash to San Francisco-style liberalism. Sure, your median techie still worries about climate change, H-1B visas, and the democratic threat of Trumpism, but we all know that...
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FOUR STORIES WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
DeSantis’s Zombie Comeback
DeSantis’s Zombie Comeback
Is DeSantis ’24 like McCain ’08?
PETER HAMBY
Gucci’s Activist Tickle
Gucci’s Activist Tickle
Will Bluebell force major changes at Kering?
LAUREN SHERMAN
Iger Succession Watch
Iger Succession Watch
Pressing updates on Disney’s big question.
MATTHEW BELLONI
Trump’s Tucker Tapes
Trump’s Tucker Tapes
Notes on the latest salvo in a media war.
ERIQ GARDNER
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Welcome back to The Stratosphere. In today’s issue, a close look at this cycle’s political kingmakers in Silicon Valley—and how Nikki Haley may have outpunched Ron DeSantis. Plus, dish on S.B.F.’s immensely lucky legal break, which lets many of his political allies off the hook thanks to a technicality.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  PREVIEW VERSION Start a free […]
Theodore Schleifer • August 2, 2023
Can Zuckerberg’s Old Roommate Strong-Arm Washington?
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