The Biden campaign and its allies raised more than $30 million as part of a star-studded fundraiser, breaking the record for the Democratic Party’s largest fundraiser, the campaign announced.
President Joe Biden attended the fundraiser in Los Angeles along with former President Barack Obama, actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
“This Saturday, we will see an unprecedented, record-breaking turnout from across the media and entertainment industries,” campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement. “The enthusiasm and commitment for Biden/Harris couldn’t be higher. We all understand this is the most important election of our lifetimes.”
Campaign officials said the funds from the fundraiser will be used “to set up offices, hire activists and launch a paid media campaign to communicate directly with voters.”
The Biden campaign said Saturday that the event raised $28 million, breaking the party’s fundraising record, and the money continued to pour in, bringing the final total to more than $30 million, a campaign official said Sunday.
NBC News reached out to the Democratic National Committee to ask whether the event broke any fundraising records. NBC News cannot independently verify the claim because fundraising amounts are not immediately reflected in Federal Election Commission data.
The figures reported at Saturday’s fundraiser surpassed the total reportedly raised at a New York City fundraiser in March, which also featured a number of celebrities. The Biden campaign said the event brought in $26 million, making it the largest Democratic fundraiser ever.
Like the New York fundraiser, the Los Angeles fundraiser featured conversations between the presidents hosted by comedians: Jimmy Kimmel hosted a conversation between Biden and Obama, and at the March fundraiser, Stephen Colbert hosted a conversation between Biden, Obama and former President Bill Clinton.
Saturday’s conversation with Kimmel, Biden and Obama covered a number of policy issues and, perhaps not surprisingly, included a mention of former President Donald Trump.
“We’ve made great progress, and he wants to take it all away,” Biden said, referring to Trump.
“I think part of what’s happened over the last few years is we’ve normalized what were once disqualifying practices,” Obama said, referring to Trump’s criminal conviction and other legal issues.
Biden said whoever wins the presidential election this November would likely nominate two more Supreme Court justices during his term, and, referencing the controversy surrounding Justice Samuel Alito, suggested Trump would “appoint two more upside-down flags.”
He went on to note that the Supreme Court has “never been more off balance than it is today.”
During the conversation, Kimmel cited his son’s previously discussed heart condition and praised the Affordable Care Act, while Biden stressed that Republicans would “do a great disservice to the country” if they were to repeal the ACA.
“I’m very proud of what the Biden administration has accomplished,” Obama said during the conversation, “and this is a reminder that we can’t just vote no in this election.”
Saturday’s fundraiser featured numerous celebrity appearances and performances, including Jack Black, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jason Bateman and Kathryn Hahn. Barbra Streisand introduced first lady Jill Biden and praised her work on education and women’s health.
The first lady stressed that the election is about character: Voters will be choosing between Biden and “someone who wakes up every morning and only cares about one thing: themselves,” she said.
The Biden campaign had more than $84 million in funds at the end of April, when the latest Federal Election Commission reports were released, putting it ahead in the cash race, compared with the Trump campaign’s more than $49 million at the same time.
The Trump campaign said it and its allies raised more than $34 million after Trump’s conviction last month, a claim NBC News cannot independently verify because a May Federal Election Commission filing is not yet available.
