Tom McInerney, a veteran San Francisco-based lawyer, informed Biden’s team on June 20 that he can no longer help him raise campaign cash to compete in the 2020 presidential election.
“I had actually let the campaign known I’d pulled back my support of Biden for now,” McInerney told CNBC. “I don’t think he did well last night,” he added, referring to Biden’s debate performance on Thursday night during the Democratic debate in Miami.
McInerney is the first financier to publicly withdraw his support after Biden’s controversial round of comments, yet he noted: “I would imagine I’m not alone.”
The news comes as Biden is starting a Bay Area fundraising tour on Friday that will continue through the weekend.
At a recent fundraiser, Biden recalled his days as a senator from Delaware, working alongside two segregationist lawmakers. He also sought support from segregationists to oppose busing when he was in the Senate in the 1970s.
“At least there was some civility. We got things done. We didn’t agree on much of anything,” Biden said at the time. “Today, you look at the other side and you’re the enemy.”
Biden was heavily criticized by other Democratic hopefuls at the debates. Sen Kamala Harris used his comments to question the former vice president’s record on busing and race relations, yet Biden dodged the question as to whether he was wrong to oppose busing in the US, saying: “I did not oppose busing in America. What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education.”
