Morgan Stanley employees have been invited to a fundraising event with Mitt Romney, to take place next month at the firm’s corporate headquarters in New York City.
In an email sent to employees on June 11, with the subject line “an invitation to meet with Mitt Romney,” a group of Morgan Stanley executives said they were “writing to invite you to a breakfast on July 9 in support of Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts and Republican nominee for President of the united states.” The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. on the 41st floor of the the Morgan Stanley building in midtown Manhattan.
The email provides a brief description of Romney’s “extraordinarily successful private and public sector career,” and then urges recipients to donate to the presidential campaign.
“We hope that you will consider attending the breakfast and contributing $2,500-$5,000 in order to ensure the success of this event,” the email states. “Federal election law permits individuals to contribute a total of $2,500 per election ($5,000 for primary and general election combined)… To donate, please fill out the contributor form and send any checks or credit card contributions directly to the campaign, please do not forward contributions to our offices or to any Morgan Stanley staff.”
The email states that contributions to the Romney campaign made before July 9 do not have to be pre-cleared with the firm’s Legal and Compliance Department, and ends with the disclaimer that “[a]s always, your participation here is completely voluntary and no employee will be benefitted or disadvantaged by the amount they give or their decision not to contribute.”
Among the eleven men whose names appear at the end of the invitation are former CEO John Mack, current COO Jim Rosenthal, Vice Chairman Jeffrey Holzschuh, and Co-Chairman of Mergers and Acquisition Stephen Munger.
Morgan Stanley declined to comment on the event, but did confirm that the email went out.
Back in 2007, Mack, the former CEO, held a fundraising event for Hillary Clinton at the firm’s headquarters. In an email then to Morgan Stanley executives, Mack wrote that “[w]hen it comes to supporting political candidates, I have always looked beyond party labels to the person who I felt was best for the job and most able to lead the country forward,” and also noted that donating to the Clinton campaign was “purely voluntary.”
Read the full text of the email:
From: Holzschuh, Jeffrey
â¨sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 2:50 PM
â¨subject: an invitation to meet with Mitt RomneyWe are writing to invite you to a breakfast on July 9 in support of Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts and Republican nominee for President of the united states. The breakfast will be held at 8:00 a.m. on the 41st floor of 1585 Broadway.
Mitt Romney has had an extraordinarily successful private and public sector career. From 1978-1984, he advised companies as a Vice President at the management consulting firm of Bain & Company. In 1984, Romney founded Bain Capital, one of the nation’s most successful venture capital and investment companies. He first gained national recognition for his role in turning around the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics that were mired in controversy and facing significant financial crisis.
In November of 2002, Mitt Romney was elected Governor of Massachusetts and presided over a dramatic reversal of the state’s fortunes. Without raising taxes or increasing debt, Governor Romney balanced the state budget every year of his administration and closed an inherited $3 billion budget gap. over the last several years, he has expanded his nationwide political network by tirelessly recruiting, mentoring and fundraising for Republican candidates’ for Governor, senate and House races.
We hope that you will consider attending the breakfast and contributing $2,500-$5,000 in order to ensure the success of this event. Federal election law permits individuals to contribute a total of $2,500 per election ($5,000 for primary and general election combined). Please CLICK HERE if you plan to attend the event.  To donate, please fill out the contributor form and send any checks or credit card contributions directly to the campaign, please do not forward contributions to our offices or to anyMorgan Stanley staff.Â
Because this event has been pre-cleared with the Legal and Compliance Department, you do not have to individually pre-clear contributions made to Romney for President between now and July 9. Contributions to other candidates, party committees or causes must of course be pre-cleared with Compliance through the PCT system. As always, your participation here is completely voluntary and no employee will be benefitted or disadvantaged by the amount they give or their decision not to contribute.
This event is only open for eligible Morgan Stanley employees. You should not forward this invitation or invite anyone else without checking first with us and the Compliance Department.
Thanks again for your consideration of this event.
Sincerely,
Henry D’alessandro, Paul Fossati, Grant Gregory, Jr., Patrick Haskell, Jeff Holzschuh, John Mack, steve Munger, Jim Rosenthal, Andy Saperstein, John Sargent and William Strong
Contributions are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.  Individuals may contribute up to $2,500 per election.Â
â¨Contributions from corporations and foreign nationals are prohibited. Contributions are voluntary and will not impact employment decisions.
Invitation for recipient only, please do not forward.
