Home Depot Founder: Pope’s Rhetoric on the Economy Is Worrying Rich Donors

Home Depot Founder: Pope’s Rhetoric on Economy Worrying Rich Donors (Mediaite)

According to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Home Depot founder Ken Langone has voiced concerns that Pope Francis’ recent rhetoric about income inequality was causing at least one high-level donor hesitation.

Langone is involved with Dolan in a $180 million restoration project of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, but informed the cardinal that one potential “seven-figure” donor was unhappy with the pontiff’s criticism of free markets—comments which have already angered conservative pundits and been called “Marxist” by Rush Limbaugh.

“I’ve told the cardinal, ‘Your Eminence, this is one more hurdle I hope we don’t have to deal with,’” Langone said to CNBC. “‘You want to be careful about generalities. Rich people in one country don’t act the same as rich people in another country.’”