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Private Equity Guy Is Fixing the Washington Monument

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 24:  A boy walks past the Washington Monument on the National Mall August 24, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Washington Monument will remain indefinitely closed after yesterday's 5.8 magnitude East Coast earthquake left cracks near the top of the 555-foot-tall obelisk.  (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The very wealthy David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, is donating the remaining $7.5 million necessary to fix the Washington Monument, which developed serious cracks after an earthquake this summer. Because nothing says "symbol of functioning democracy" like desperately and gratefully taking checks from rich dudes?

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images