Milken, 72, said he’s been working on the idea of the center for 53 years. It will be located on Pennsylvania Avenue, across from Treasury and diagonal from the White House, in former bank buildings he purchased before the 2016 election.
As for whether President Trump will give Milken a pardon, neither Milken or Mnuchin, who’s reportedly been pushing for it, would comment, though Mnuchin expressed admiration for the man. “He’s beyond remarkable,” Mnuchin said. “His focus on not only prostate cancer, but what he’s done to focus on all the critical issues affecting our world, is really extraordinary.”
Pollster Frank Luntz didn’t mince words when he mused on the legacy of the man who built the junk bond business before going to prison for 22 months and being barred from the securities business, after which he has devoted much of his time to his institute and cancer foundation.
“Ask me, who’s going to cure cancer? Ask me who’s going to save capitalism?” Luntz said. “Mike Milken. He was a victim of the system and now he is the savior.”
Luntz’s take on a pardon for Milken? “I think he’s on his way to sainthood, which is hard to get if you’re Jewish.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.