Rockettes boss donated to Trump: report

The CEO of the company that manages the Radio City Rockettes previously donated to President-elect Donald Trump, according to a new report.

James Dolan, executive chairman of the Madison Square Garden Company, donated $2,700 to Trump’s presidential campaign last September, The Daily Beast reported Wednesday, citing federal election records compiled by OpenSecrets.

An MSG Company spokesman told the news outlet that Dolan had in the past also contributed to Democratic presidential candidates.

“In the Rockettes’ previous two [inaugural] appearances, Mr. Dolan supported [Al] Gore and [John] Kerry,” Barry Watkins, MSG’s chief communications officer, said. “And this year Mr. Dolan has supported Mr. Trump.”

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OpenSecrets records show Dolan also donated to multiple state Republican parties before Election Day, including those in California, Virginia and Kansas. Dolan’s donations ranged from $868 to $10,000, with the largest amount benefitting North Carolina’s GOP.

The Daily Beast noted that Dolan previously donated to major Democrats, including the party’s 2016 presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton.

Dolan gave $2,300 to Clinton before her 2008 presidential primary loss to then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn announced last month that the Rockettes would perform at Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20. But reports quickly surfaced of the dance troop’s members being unhappy associating with Trump’s incoming presidency.

One performer wrote in a since-deleted Dec. 23 Instagram post that dancing at Trump’s inauguration would make her “embarrassed and disappointed.” The MSG Company later clarified that Rockettes would not be forced into performing at the event against their will.

“For a Rockette to be considered for an event they must voluntarily sign up and are never told they perform for a particular event, including the inaugural,” the company said in a statement. “It is always their choice.”