For mr. Schwarzman found the idea absurd. “It was a difficult time,” he said, according to a participant who shared details from a transcript of the call. The media coverage and the polls misled people, said Mr. Schwarzman said. As a result, ‘people are generally skeptical about what someone says to them.’ He argued that the number of votes, which continues for days after the election, has created a perception problem, especially in places where Mr. Trump apparently achieved an early victory, only for a Biden victory to be declared later. His comments did not fit well with some participants.
“It was 100 percent known in advance that this would happen exactly in a place like Pennsylvania,” replied Richard H. Pildes, a constitutional expert, according to the contestant who had the transcript. Kenneth Frazier, CEO of Merck, added that the actions of Mr. Trump is undermining democracy and should be of great concern, the participants recall.
After the comments of mr. Schwarzman leaked to The Financial Times, some Blackstone investors began asking questions, saying employees had informed the calls. Staff members of pension funds, which invest in Blackstone, had earlier told officials of the firm that they wanted Mr. Schwarzman will stay away from politics. One pensioner now wanted to know more about what he told the other drivers and why, and another complained that they did not like what they were reading, two Blackstone employees said.
Although he entangles himself in controversy, Schwarzman did not want to criticize the president. It took him until November 16 – more than a week after the election was convened by networks – to recognize the victory at an economic forum. (“It looks like Joe Biden,” he said.)
Since Mr. Trump refused to concede, Mr. refuses. Schwarzman to sign a November 23 letter demanding more than 160 CEOs transfer to power. Instead, he issued his own statement saying “the country needs to move on”, adding that “I support President Trump and the strong economic path he has built.” (Jon Gray, Blackstone’s president and a big supporter of Mr. Biden, signed the group letter.)
Mr. Schwarzman also appears to be ready to go on. After the storms of the Capitol, he told colleagues he thought the president should be removed. And he is now ‘ready’, he said in recent prepared statements, to Mr. Biden and his team to help.