Citadel CEO Ken Griffin believes American prosperity is a testament to the power of the Constitution. And as the country gets ready to celebrate its 250th anniversary next year, the hedge fund billionaire wants to expand public access to the 1787 document. Griffin announced Tuesday that he will lend his first-edition copy of the Constitution to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia for a public exhibit dedicated to the founding document of the US government, the AP reports. He will also loan the center his copy of the Bill of Rights, which he has not previously acknowledged owning publicly, and his nonprofit Griffin Catalyst will make a $15 million donation for the exhibit—the largest in the center's history.
"The authors of the Constitution had incredible foresight in designing a system of government that has withstood the test of time and now, more than ever, protects the American Dream," Griffin said in a statement.
- Jeffrey Rosen, CEO of the National Constitution Center, called Griffin's loan of the documents and the donation a "transformative opportunity." "Ken Griffin's generosity is going to allow us to create a new Founding Principles gallery that will tell the story of the American idea from the revolution through the Constitutional Convention through ratification and all the way up to the adoption of the Bill of Rights," said Rosen. The museum said the Griffin's copy of the Constitution is one of 14 known original, official printed copies.
- "The Constitution Center's mission has never been more relevant," said Rosen, adding that the nonpartisan nonprofit center tries to reduce polarization by offering a platform for both conservative and liberal Constitutional scholars.
- Griffin purchased the rare first printing of the Constitution at auction at Sotheby's in New York for $43.2 million in 2021, with plans to make the document available for public viewing. He declined to say when he acquired the rare first printing of 17 proposed constitutional amendments passed in 1789 by the House of Representatives for consideration by the Senate—which, after further debate, became the Bill of Rights.
- A longtime Republican megadonor, Griffin has recently drawn attention for his criticisms of President Trump. "The United States was more than just a nation. It's a brand," Griffin said at the Semafor World Economy Summit last month. "It was like an aspiration for most the world. And we're eroding that brand right now." But Griffin's representatives said the donation and loan to the NCC have been planned for years.
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