Soros son Alex, 38, shed playboy image to control of dad's $25 BN empire, rub shoulders with D.C. elite

 For years, billionaire financier George Soros' son Alexander Soros was known as a Hamptons rich kid who threw lavish parties, picked up models and befriended NBA legends.

His flamboyant lifestyle and untamed antics earned him a reputation as something of a 'playboy' - and even saw him once described as an 'embarrassment' within his famous family, standing in sharp contrast to his father's fierce dedication to personal privacy and his long-standing image as a serious and respected philanthropist and businessman. 

So when Alex, now 38, was named as the successor and heir to his father's $25 billion empire, the news certainly raised some eyebrows - particularly among those who knew the former wildchild as nothing more than a party-loving rich kid. 

His ascent to the head of George's Open Society Foundations (OSF) was seen as something of a shock decision, particularly as it saw him usurp his older - and much more serious - brother Jonathan in a corporate battle that many likened to the HBO series Succession.

In June 2023, Alexander Soros, now 38, was named as the official heir to George Soros' Open Society Foundations (OSF) in a shock decision that saw him usurp his older brother 

Earlier this week, it was seemingly confirmed that Alex was also now dating Hillary Clinton's longtime aide Huma Abedin - who is the ex-wife of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner

But how did Alex go from being a billionaire playboy to a power player rubbing shoulders with the political elite?

But ahead of the June 2023 announcement, Alex had slowly been working on transforming his image from that of a playboy to a political power player - swapping parties with celebrities for pow wows with people of serious influence, including Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Joe Biden.

His political affiliations now seem to have led him to another major milestone: a romance with Hillary Clinton's longtime aide and friend Huma Abedin, with whom he publicly debuted a relationship on Instagram Stories on Valentine's Day, when the pair enjoyed a date night in Paris.  

Certainly Alex has made no secret of his left-leaning views - which align closely with those Huma, who is the ex-wife of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner, pushed during her time working on Clinton's presidential campaign. 

When he was named as his father's successor, he vowed that he would use 93-year-old George's fortune to finance even more far-left causes - including abortion rights and gender equality - telling the Wall Street Journal that he was 'more political' than George and planned to reflect that in his business dealings.

Speaking about his goals, Alex said he was concerned about the possibility of Republican Donald Trump returning to the White House — suggesting his family would contribute greatly to Democrats in the 2024 presidential election.

'As much as I would love to get money out of politics, as long as the other side is doing it, we will have to do it, too,' he said.

So how did Alex go from being a billionaire playboy to a power player rubbing shoulders with the political elite? Here, FEMAIL has taken a deep dive into the trajectory.

 

Alex's antics first came under fire in 2008 after he boasted about his drunken endeavors online

For many years, Alex, who was raised in New York, did little to dispel his reputation as a playboy party animal - with his antics first thrust into the spotlight in 2008.

He spent that summer at his father George's sweeping estate in the wealthy Hamptons enclave, drinking, partying on the family boat and 'making out with babes' - before boasting about the romp publicly on Facebook.

The photos he shared were picked up by Cityfile.com - a New York lifestyle website dedicated to the antics of socialites.

Under the headline 'Children of Privilege', the article stated: 'Alex graduated from NYU in May, but he certainly hasn't been spending the summer in search of a job. 

'He's been chilling at dad's house in Southampton, drinking 40s while cruising on the family boat, and making out with the babes at places like La Playa and Pink Elephant.'

Most of the pictures unearthed by Cityfile have disappeared from the internet, but one remains, showing Alex on a nightclub dancefloor with his face screwed into a pout 

Most of the pictures unearthed by Cityfile have disappeared from the internet, but one remains, showing Alex on a nightclub dancefloor with his face screwed into a pout. 

A male friend, wearing a beach hat and clutching a cigarette, plants a kiss on the Soros heir's cheek.

Cityfile added: 'He's still listing himself as "unemployed" on his Facebook page, but we're sure that will change once daddy gets involved.

'A job working for Obama? A corner office at his dad's famed hedge fund? Keep your eye on this kid: He's going places!'

Alex's Facebook page was made private shortly after.

Four years later, a New York Times profile of Alex characterized the incident as 'an embarrassment within the family, but also a lesson.' 

 

The heir became known as the ultimate party host after renting out a $72 million summer retreat that attracted famous faces

The heir seemed unfazed by the high-profile criticism - and he showed little sign of slowing down.

In 2016, he rented a $72 million summer retreat called Villa Maria - the Water Mill mansion belonging to late shoe designer Vince Camuto.

The sprawling 20,000-sq-ft compound became the backdrop for a whole host of gatherings including lobster bakes prepared by personal chefs and games of drunken hide-and-seek, according to the New York Post.

In 2016, he rented a $72 million summer retreat called Villa Maria - the Water Mill mansion belonging to late shoe designer Vince Camuto

The sprawling 20,000-sq-ft compound became the backdrop for a whole host of gatherings including lobster bakes and games of drunken hide-and-seek

In one Instagram post, a group of bikini-clad women were gathered around a luxury swimming pool filled with rubber duck inflatables

That summer New York Knicks Star Joakim Noah, music mogul Scooter Braun and fashion designers Timo Weiland and Maxwell Osborne were all among the notable guests. 

The mansion soon became dubbed as 'Camp Soros' with floods of snapshots coming out of the meetups. 

In one Instagram post, a group of bikini-clad women were gathered around a luxury swimming pool filled with rubber duck inflatables. 

In another, Alex, Braun, ex-Chicago Bulls star Jay Williams and other friends were shown enjoying a lobster dinner while surrounded by cocktails. 

But these were not the only famous faces that Alex was rubbing shoulders with - with superstar Usher as well as models Chanel Iman and Najah Wakil seemingly in his circle.

In another, Alex, Braun, ex-Chicago Bulls star Jay Williams and other friends were shown enjoying a lobster dinner while surrounded by cocktails 

But these were not the only famous faces that Alex was rubbing shoulders with - with superstar Usher also among his circle

Models Chanel Iman (left) and Najah Wakil (right) have also been snapped alongside the billionaire heir

It was this pattern of garish displays of wealth that made the idea he would inherit his father's philanthropic empire, which pumps billions into socialist causes, seem unthinkable. 

But Alex began to change the optics on his lifestyle - despite various missteps.

These included a 2021 article in Page Six that reported Alex had left a $700 tip after buying tequila from a bar in Brooklyn during a night he was spending with two women. 

 

Alex began to overhaul his reputation through philanthropy as he grew closer to his father

All things considered, the previously mentioned NYT piece, published in July 2012, appears to have marked the beginning of a public campaign to reframe Alex as a reformed party boy fit to bear the family name. 

'After wrestling with his moneyed upbringing, Mr. Soros, now 26, is taking the stage on his own terms, though in a direction his father clearly approves: philanthropy,' it continued.

Alex's first notable act of personal philanthropy was a contribution to Jewish Funds for Justice, a group championing the rights of Jews in America, now called Bend the Arc. 

Alex told the NYT in 2012 that he was 'very angry' at George (pictured together), adding: 'I felt unwanted. He had a very hard time communicating love, and he was never really around' 

He then launched the Alexander Soros Foundation in 2012 with the stated mission of promoting social justice and human rights, though it also focuses on environmentalism, education, and cultural causes.

It has given millions of dollars to causes including environmentalism and education. 

George himself previously said: 'I am very pleased that Alex has taken a serious interest in philanthropy.

'He is playing a constructive role within the Open Society Foundations, but he is also striking out on his own.' 

Fashion designer Maxwell Osborne also said in 2016 that Alex was 'the best host... But there's always a moment when he... disappears to do work.'

At the time, Alex was writing his PhD titled Jewish Dionysus: Heine, Nietzsche and the Politics of Literature.

In recent years, he has proudly shared photos with his father, including some taken at their many meetings with political leaders such as Nancy Pelosi 

Over time, the playboy's posts on Instagram switched from mansions and celebrities to titans of the global elite - from Barack Obama to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

And it seems he was spurred on by the criticism he had previously been engulfed in, telling The Times in 2012 that he was shocked at the nepo baby 'caricature' that often ran in the press.

'I have the incentive of failing my own reputation. If I don't succeed, then I'm just another deadbeat lazy trust-fund kid,' Alex said.

He also began to repair the rift with his father after a difficult childhood. 

Alex, whose parents divorced in 2005 during his freshman year in college, told the NYT in 2012 that he was 'very angry' at George, adding: 'I felt unwanted. He had a very hard time communicating love, and he was never really around.' 

In recent years, he has proudly shared photos with his father, including some taken at their many meetings with political leaders such as Nancy Pelosi. 

 

He has since been named as his father's successor - marking his public overhaul complete

George Soros once said he did not want OSF to be handed over to one of his children.

Nonetheless, Jonathan was thought to be the most likely heir due in part to his age and experience as well as having a much less colorful personal life.

But, in June 2023, the $25billion empire was publicly handed over to Alex in an announcement through the Wall Street Journal. 

He told the newspaper he planned to broaden his father's woke aims, as well as embrace different causes like voting and abortion rights.

'I'm more political,' Alex said at the time, when comparing himself to his father - having met with big-name Democrats and visited the White House 14 times in just a year.

In June 2023, the $25billion empire was publicly handed over to Alex (pictured with Barrack Obama) in an announcement through the Wall Street Journal

'I'm more political,' Alex said at the time, when comparing himself to his father - having visited the White House 14 times in just a year

He has now said he will use his new influence to champion issues such as reproductive and voting rights.

Jonathan, who is now removed from his father's affairs, said he was 'disappointed but not regretful' of the decision to appoint his younger brother as head of their father's influential Open Society Foundation.

The OSF financially supports liberal groups around the world, with the aims of advancing justice, education, public health and independent media.

Since its launch in 1993, the foundation has donated billions of dollars to mostly non-governmental organizations (NGOs), at a rate of approximately $1.5bn every year.

Alex also seems to be taking his love life much more seriously following his connection with Huma.

It was during Hillary's failed 2016 run that Huma may well have first been connected to the Soros family - when George was revealed as one of five mega-donors responsible for one in every $17 that had been spent on her campaign.

Indeed, Huma's name has previously been linked with the Soros clan when it was revealed in 2016 that she had exchanged emails with another member of Hillary's campaign team about a dinner that the then-Presidential candidate was having with George.

In the email, Huma asked Robby Mook, who would eventually go on to run Hillary's campaign, how she should proceed if George asked Hillary to appear at a fundraiser for America Votes, a progressive organization that he supported heavily.

Robby then replied: 'I would only do this for political reasons (ie to make Soros happy).'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13087839/how-alex-soros-transformed-political-power-player.html

Is a Tax on Organic Cows or an Outright Ban Coming Soon?

 This might seem to be a silly question, but organic cows emit more methane. The FDA approved a supplement that will cut emissions 30 percent. What’s next?

FDA Approved

Bloomberg reports FDA Approves Feed Product to Cut Dairy Cow Methane Emissions

Elanco Animal Health Inc. received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for a feed supplement that reduces methane emissions in dairy cattle by 30%, on average.

The ingredient, Bovaer, is added to cattle feed and works by suppressing a digestive enzyme that generates methane, according to the Greenfield, Indiana-based company. The FDA approval is the first for a product of its kind, and the company expects it to generate more than $200 million of revenue in the US market.

Bovaer, which is already being sold in more than 50 countries, can lead to even greater emission reductions in beef cattle, averaging a 45% cut. Elanco will also seek FDA clearance for use in US beef herds in the future, Simmons said.

Quick Fix to Reduce Cow Methane Emissions

Let’s flash back to June 2023 when this idea was first discussed. Please consider Why Won’t Companies Use This Quick Fix to Reduce Cow Methane Emissions?

A feed additive called Bovaer reduces methane from cow burps by 30%. Despite having emission-cutting goals, JBS, Danone, Nestle and Starbucks aren’t racing to use it.

“I’m puzzled why [Bovaer] hasn’t been used on a larger scale by the industry,” said Alexander Hristov, professor of dairy nutrition at Pennsylvania State University, who has studied feed additives and their impact on methane for over two decades.

One key barrier is cost. Bovaer is priced at about 30-cents per animal per day, or about $100 per year. A typical dairy cow in Western Europe will belch the equivalent of 3.5 tons of carbon dioxide a year. That means Bovaer’s 30% reduction eliminates about 1 ton of CO2 at a cost of $100. That price would be a dream scenario for the startups pulling CO2 directly out of the air—but corporations routinely spend just $5 to $10 per ton to claim emission cuts through carbon offsets (though the impact of these credits are often dubious).

The product works by stifling some of the chemical reactions that produce gas in the rumen of cows. Questions remain, however, about the extent to which cows will adapt to Bovaer and how well the methane improvements hold up over a year or two. Hristov, the Penn State scientist, is currently examining this question in a long-term study. But he and other scientists agree the product’s near-term methane reduction of about 30% is rock solid.

150 countries have signed onto a Global Methane Pledge, vowing to reduce 30% of these potent emissions by 2030. With livestock the single-biggest source of methane in many countries, this is sparking tense debates. New Zealand, for instance, has infuriated cattle ranchers by proposing a tax on livestock emissions to hit the country’s climate targets, while officials in Ireland have rankled dairy farmers by considering herd reductions as a key lever to reach its own climate goals.

Cattle emissions are equally crucial for many corporate climate pledges. Nestle SA and Starbucks Corp, for instance, have both promised to halve their climate footprints by 2030. Dairy is the single largest source of emissions for each company, and they’ve both said they’re exploring feed additives as one potential solution. Neither company, though, has moved ahead with significant efforts to use these products (both companies declined interview requests). Meanwhile, they’re both struggling to reel in their climate impacts: Since the starting point of their goals, Nestle has cut emissions 1%, while Starbucks’ climate footprint has expanded 6%.

What’s the Long-Term Human Impact?

Both of the above articles question the extent cows will adapt to it. I question how humans will adapt to traces of Bovaer over the span of 70 years.

I don’t know, I’m just wondering, which we should all go given there are no stated advantages for farmers, cows, or consumers for the additive.

Safety and Efficacy of 3-Nitrooxypropanol (Bovaer^® 10)

Please consider the European Food Safety Journal on the Safety and Efficacy of 3-Nitrooxypropanol (Bovaer^® 10)

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of Bovaer^® 10 as a zootechnical additive for ruminants for milk production and reproduction. Systemic exposure or site of contact toxicity for the active substance 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), for which genotoxicity has not been fully clarified, in the target species, is unlikely based on ADME data available. Consequently, the FEEDAP Panel concluded that Bovaer^® 10 was safe for dairy cows at the maximum recommended level. However, as a margin of safety could not be established, the FEEDAP Panel could not conclude on the safety of the additive for other animal species/categories. The FEEDAP Panel considered that the consumer was exposed to 3-nitrooxypropionic acid (NOPA), which is one of the 3-NOP metabolites. NOPA was not genotoxic based on the studies provided. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that the use of Bovaer^® 10 in animal nutrition under the conditions of use proposed was of no concern for consumer safety and for the environment. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that the active substance 3-NOP may be harmful if inhaled. It is irritant (but not corrosive) to skin, irritant to the eyes but it is not a skin sensitiser. As the genotoxicity of 3-NOP is not completely elucidated, the exposure through inhalation of the additive may represent an additional risk for the user. The Panel concluded that the additive has a potential to be efficacious in dairy cows to reduce enteric methane production under the proposed conditions of use. This conclusion was extrapolated to all other ruminants for milk production and reproduction.

Coming Soon, 3-Nitrooxypropanol in Your Food

Gee, I can hardly wait.

As an added bonus, farmers and ranchers putting 3-Nitrooxypropanol in your food may get to sell tax credits on it, making you pay still more for grass fed organic beef and dairy products.

I do not know how safe the additive is. Nobody else does either. But I do know the reasons for the additive are dubious and it will increase prices.

I recommend the label “No 3-Nitrooxypropanol” for farmers and consumers who refuse to go along.

Expect Blackouts, Higher Prices

The lie of the day is from the EPA: Carbon capture will pay for itself (thanks to IRA subsidies). No, it won’t even with subsidies. Expect blackouts and a higher price for electricity.

For discussion, please see Biden’s New Carbon Capture Mandates Will Cause Blackouts, Increases Prices

Biden’s Solar Push Is Destroying the Desert

Also note Biden’s Solar Push Is Destroying the Desert and Releasing Stored Carbon

Experts suggest the mad rush to convert desert to subsidized solar panels may be releasing mass amounts of stored carbon while simultaneously destroying archeological sites in the process.

EPA Awards $50 Million to Group that Says Palestine is a ‘Climate Justice Issue’

On May 23, I noted EPA Awards $50 Million to Group that Says Palestine is a ‘Climate Justice Issue’

The Inflation Reduction Act strikes again. The beneficiary is a group of radical nut cases. The loser is you, the taxpayer.

In the Name of Progress, Biden Will Take Away Your Truck

On March 22, 2024, I noted In the Name of Progress, Biden Will Take Away Your Truck

And finally, please consider Biden Wants EVs so Badly That He Will Quadruple Tariffs on Them

Astute readers will immediately notice the title of the last link above makes no sense. It’s not supposed to. But it is exactly what President Biden is doing.

None of this makes any sense.

https://mishtalk.com/economics/is-a-tax-on-organic-cows-or-an-outright-ban-coming-soon/

Alex Soros Gives Dems Propaganda Blueprint For "Convicted Felon" Trump Amid Party Infighting

 With Democrats high-fiving over the 'historic' conviction of Donald Trump, their chief political rival, a fight has broken out amongst party leaders over how to gloat over this obvious political lawfare which was allegedly coordinated with the Biden administration, and rife with conflicts of interest.

Even CNN senior legal analyst, Elie Honig, admitted that Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg (who reduced 60% of felonies to misdemeanors in 2023, yet elevated Trump's misdemeanors to a felony), wrote in NY Mag: "Here, prosecutors got their man, for now at least – but they also contorted the law in an unprecedented manner in their quest to snare their prey."

The charges against Trump are obscure, and nearly entirely unprecedented. In fact, no state prosecutor — in New York, or Wyoming, or anywhere — has ever charged federal election laws as a direct or predicate state crime, against anyone, for anything. None. Ever. Even putting aside the specifics of election law, the Manhattan DA itself almost never brings any case in which falsification of business records is the only charge." -Elie Honig

Now the Democrats are split on how to gloat over this communist show trial - with party establishment figures preaching caution and restraint, and the other side which sees Trump's guilt as a political gift that should be used as a cudgel.

Mini-Me Soros Pipes Up

Arguing in favor of gloating is one Alex Soros, son of George Soros, who visited the Biden White House 14 times since October 2021 according to visitor logs. Young Alex said the quiet part out loud on Friday, suggesting in his infinite wisdom that Democrats should turn take every opportunity to call Trump 'convicted felon,' (of course, turning him into an even bigger martyr).

"Democrats should refer to Trump as a convicted felon at every opportunity. Repetition is the key to a successful message and we want people to wrestle with the notion of hiring a convicted felon for the most important job in the country!"

Young Alex was 'ratio'd' into oblivion on X (far more comments than 'likes,' indicating disagreement). That said, he also has the firepower of his father's network of organizations to promote whatever he sees fit.

"As much as I would love to get money out of politics, as long as the other side is doing it, we will have to do it, too," the millennial said in a WSJ interview last summer. 

And who could blame amped-up, constitution-shredding Democrats for wanting to capitalize on this headline-sweeping, historic event of their own making?

According to Bloomberg data, headlines featuring 'Bidenomics' collapsed last year after the Biden administration realized pushing it was a terrible idea. Meanwhile, 'convicted felon' has just erupted.

While Soros, the complex web of OSF groups, the Biden administration, and radical Democrats cheer this weekend, not just because it's the first day of Pride Month but because of Trump's conviction, the political assault on the former president was likely overplayed.

Going deeper into Elie Honig's analysis via @KanekoaTheGreat:

CNN Senior Legal Analyst Describes How The Trump Conviction Was A Political Hit Job

1. "The judge donated money... in plain violation of a rule prohibiting New York judges from making political donations—to a pro-Biden, anti-Trump political operation."

2. Alvin Bragg boasted on the campaign trail in an overwhelmingly Democrat county, “It is a fact that I have sued Trump over 100 times.”

3. "Most importantly, the DA’s charges against Trump push the outer boundaries of the law and due process."

4. "The charges against Trump are obscure, and nearly entirely unprecedented. In fact, no state prosecutor — in New York, or Wyoming, or anywhere — has ever charged federal election laws as a direct or predicate state crime, against anyone, for anything. None. Ever."

5. The DA inflated misdemeanors past the statute of limitations and "electroshocked them back to life" by alleging the falsification of business records was committed 'with intent to commit another crime.'

6. "Inexcusably, the DA refused to specify what those unlawful means actually were — and the judge declined to force them to pony up — until right before closing arguments. So much for the constitutional obligation to provide notice to the defendant of the accusations against him in advance of trial."

7. "In these key respects, the charges against Trump aren’t just unusual. They’re bespoke, seemingly crafted individually for the former president and nobody else."

8. "The Manhattan DA’s employees reportedly have called this the “Zombie Case” because of various legal infirmities, including its bizarre charging mechanism. But it’s better characterized as the Frankenstein Case, cobbled together with ill-fitting parts into an ugly, awkward, but more-or-less functioning contraption that just might ultimately turn on its creator."

Definitely one of those 'you know it's bad when' moments...

Here's what folks on X said in response to Alex's ratioed post:

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/george-soros-son-reveals-next-propaganda-weapon-aimed-american-people