Raymone Bain
{{Short description|American businesswoman}}
Raymone K. Bain is a public relations and public affairs executive. She has worked in corporate, entertainment, politics, government, and sports environments, representing celebrities and sports figures such as Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Serena Williams, Janet Jackson, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Boyz II Men. She was former spokesperson, personal general manager to Michael Jackson, and President/COO of the Michael Jackson Company.
Career
Bain began her career representing boxer Héctor Camacho in a dispute with Don King.{{Cite news |last=Wiltz |first=Teresa |date=8 October 2006 |title=Keeper Of the Famed |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/07/AR2006100700991.html |access-date=21 April 2018 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{cite web|last1=Brown|first1=Jamie|title=Raymone Bain talks about life with Michael Jackson|url=http://www.s2smagazine.com/raymone-bain-talks-about-life-with-michael-jackson/|website=Sister 2 Sister|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117100059/http://www.s2smagazine.com/raymone-bain-talks-about-life-with-michael-jackson/|archivedate=November 17, 2013}} She was one of the first women to own a sports management firm, The Bain Group, eventually representing Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali, Thomas Hearns, and Mike Tyson.{{cite web|url=https://www.spelman.edu/about-us/news-and-events/2012/06/22/power-players-five-spelman-women-changing-the-game-in-the-male-dominated-sports-industry|title=Power Players: Five Spelman Women Changing the Game in the Male-Dominated Sports Industry|website=Spelman College|accessdate=14 March 2018}} She became Marion Barry's spokesperson in 1991, then press secretary during his 1994 mayoral campaign in Washington D.C. and afterwards during his term as mayor. She has also represented Serena Williams, Janet Jackson, Babyface, and Boyz II Men, as well as comedians Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac, and Cedric "The Entertainer," D.L. Hughley.
Bain was the media liaison of Michael Jackson during his 2005 trial. She was sacked, then reinstated mid trial.{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/where-is-jacko|title=Where Is Jacko?|last=Friedman|first=Roger|date=13 June 2005|work=Fox News|access-date=21 April 2018|language=en-US}} In 2006, Jackson named Bain as his personal general manager and president/COO of the Michael Jackson Company.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062700997.html|title=Michael Jackson Fires Business Managers |last=Deutsch |first=Linda |author-link=Linda Deutsch |date=27 June 2006 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=21 April 2018 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/29/business/media/29jackson.html |title=Michael Jackson Names New Manager|date=29 June 2006|work=The New York Times|access-date=22 April 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} He subsequently appointed her to the board of directors of Sony/ATV Music Publishing; as his music licensing agent for MIJAC, MIRAN and Sony/ATV Music; as trustee of MJ Publishing Trust; and made her a 10% owner of The Michael Jackson Company, as well as appointing her to the company's board of directors. In October 2006, Michael Jackson was quoted saying that he trusted Bain implicitly.{{cite web|last1=Doucette|first1=Adoria|title=Power Source: Raymone Bain|url=http://washingtonlife.com/2010/03/17/power-source-raymone-bain/|website=Washington Life|date=March 17, 2010}} In 2009, Bain sued the Michael Jackson company for $44 million in a breach of contract suit.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/michael-jackson-sued-by-former-publicist-thriller-star-20090507|title=Michael Jackson Sued by Former Publicist, "Thriller" Star|last=Harris|first=Chris|date=7 May 2009|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=21 April 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/5289061/Michael-Jackson-sued-for-44m-by-former-spokeswoman.html|title=Michael Jackson sued for $44m by former spokeswoman|last=Hedley|first=Caroline|date=7 May 2009|work=Daily Telegraph|access-date=21 April 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/arts/music/08arts-MICHAELJACKS_BRF.html|title=Michael Jackson Is Sued by Publicist|last=Itzkoff|first=Dave|date=7 May 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=4 December 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} It was later rejected, despite appeal.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/6084866/michael-jackson-publicist-raymone-brain-sultan-of-brunei-44-million|title=Michael Jackson's Former Publicist Can't Revive $44 Million Lawsuit|last=Gardner|first=Eriq|date=13 May 2014|magazine=Billboard|access-date=21 April 2018|language=en}}
As a result of failing to pay income taxes from 2006 through to 2008, in June 2011 Bain pleaded guilty to one count of failure to file federal income tax returns and one count of failure to file District of Columbia income tax returns.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Former-Barry-Press-Sec-Michael-Jackson-Rep-Pleads-Guilty-to-Tax-Evasion-124357169.html|title=Former MJ Rep Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion|date=22 Jun 2011|website=NBC4 Washington|language=en|access-date=4 December 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/williampbarrett/2011/06/22/michael-jacksons-former-manager-pleads-guilty-to-tax-charges/|title=Michael Jackson's Former Manager Pleads Guilty To Tax Charges|last=Barrett|first=William P.|date=22 June 2011|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=4 December 2018}} She was given five years probation and a court order to repay over $200,000 in restitution.{{Cite web|url=http://wjla.com/news/local/raymone-bain-king-of-pop-s-ex-general-manager-spared-prison-time-in-d-c--68315|title=Raymone Bain, King of Pop's ex-general manager, spared prison time in D.C.|date=25 October 2011|website=WJLA|access-date=4 December 2018}}
Political work
Bain worked as a volunteer in the Jimmy Carter 1976 presidential campaign while majoring in Political Science at Spelman College and worked at the White House as special assistant in the Office of Management and Budget after graduation at the age of 21. She graduated in law from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., in December, 1983. She later lobbied to make Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday.{{Cn|date=March 2025}} Bain worked in the Bill Clinton 1992 and Bill Clinton 1996 presidential campaigns, securing and supervising celebrity surrogate speakers, and was a member of the 1992 Clinton Presidential Inaugural Committee.{{Cn|date=March 2025}}
From 2007-2008 she was a member of the National Finance Committee for Hillary Rodham-Clinton for President, and later a fundraiser for the National Obama For America Presidential Campaign. She has worked with the International AIDS Trust, and is a founding board member of the Recreation Wish List Committee, founded by the wife of Marion Barry, Cora Masters Barry. She is currently{{When|date=March 2025}} on the Board of Directors of the Marion Barry, Jr. Legacy Committee. Bain is spokesperson for Cora Masters Barry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/14/marion-christopher-barry-son-marion-barry-dies-36/|title=Marion Christopher Barry, son of Marion Barry, dies at 36|date=14 August 2016|website=The Washington Times|language=en-US|access-date=4 December 2018}}