Rubenstein said he gave the money as a way to “repay my debt to the country.”Given Rubenstein's vast wealth and low tax burden, his debt repayment could be viewed as pennies on the dollar. Rubenstein is happy to pay interest and debt. He and his ilk hate paying taxes.. WaPo reported:
In an interview, Rubenstein, 62, said he agreed to split the estimated $15 million repair bill with the federal government. Congress has already allocated the government’s share.
Officials had indicated that they were searching for a donor to match the government funding. Rubenstein said he offered to enter “a kind of public-private partnership (PPP) with the U.S. government.”
Rubenstein's move helps Carlyle in at least two ways. One, Carlyle has an infrastructure fund with over $1 billion, most of it ready to go to work in public-private partnerships. Two, the donation links a private equity underwriter (PEU) with the restoration of a national icon. This press is worth far more than any PEU media campaign blitz.
