Bloomberg Spent $11.7 million to re-elect Republican Pat Toomey

[liskddksil]

In 2016, Democrats thought they had found the perfect candidate to win a United States Senate seat in Pennsylvania and put them within striking distance of taking back the majority. But Katie McGinty, an environmental policy expert with degrees in chemistry and law, ran into an overwhelming obstacle: Michael R. Bloomberg’s fortune.

The former mayor of New York poured in $11.7 million to help re-elect the Republican incumbent, Senator Pat Toomey, who had led an effort, albeit unsuccessful, to expand background checks for gun purchasers, a top priority of Mr. Bloomberg’s.

Mr. Toomey won by less than two percentage points, handing a key victory to the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell: The Republicans held on to control of the chamber by two seats. At the time, it was the most expensive Senate race the country had ever seen, and Mr. Bloomberg’s money was one of the largest influxes of outside influence.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/us/politics/michael-bloomberg-republicans-donations.html

[bucolic_frolic]

1. And it won't be forgotten

Toomey is a pro-development Wall Street hack. All his PR does is tout gun rights now, and the media eat it up.

[Mike 03]

2. Because... Assault Weapons Ban

Ed Hozza, chairman of the Lehigh County Democrats, said he took no issue with Bloomberg’s GOP endorsements, given their connection to gun control legislation. When he was the mayor of Whitehall Township, Hozza said, he joined Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition to push for a ban on assault weapons.

[More News] “Mayor Bloomberg is known to be a consensus builder, and [gun control] is one of the major issues coming up next year,” Hozza said. “And God knows we need that today.”

https://www.mcall.com/news/elections/mc-nws-pa-bloomberg-2020-toomey-fitzpatrick-20191113-gzolz4o4izbghny24oqnm46w2a-story.html

[liskddksil]

3. Gun control that now sits dormant in Moscow Mitch's crypt

because of Mitch's enablers that Bloomberg helped enable.

[Mike 03]

5. We've got to win the Senate.

There's no other way we can change things.

[liskddksil]

6. Too bad Bloomberg didn't decide to use his billions helping us before

he decided he needed to be President.

[KPN]

28. We needed to in 2016 too. Maybe in a tied Senate we

don’t have Kavanaugh today.

[BusyBeingBest]

4. Meh. He was trying to further his gun control agenda by supporting a GOPer who

would be an ally in the Senate, it sounds like. Backfired, but sometimes that happens. On edit: Mike can help by funding Toomey's opponent next time.

[liskddksil]

8. Excuses, Excuses nt

[BusyBeingBest]

10. If you want to read something more sinister into it, go ahead.

[liskddksil]

23. He showed poor judgement and the consequences have been catastrophic nt

[BusyBeingBest]

30. I think it's because when you have that level of fuck-you money, you

are simply more apt to spread it around where you think it MIGHT help, as opposed to someone who simply doesn't have the resources to drop that kind of dough and still afford to be wrong.

[calguy]

12. Maybe if he donated to Pete you'd like him?

Pete and Bernie fans are having a difficult time liking Mr. Mike.
Can't say as I blame you.

[liskddksil]

16. I'm not an original Pete supporter (Beto is my #1 always and forever) but at least

Pete, Amy, Joe, Elizabeth, Bernie, Tulsi and even Tom Steyer and the others put in the hard work over the last few years for their campaigns rather than swooping in to buy the nomination.

[BusyBeingBest]

26. I liked Beto as well. He has a big heart and was tireless

as a campaigner and I was sorry to see him go. (I was never into Pete and still am not, he's last on my list.). But as far as Bloomberg swooping in to buy it, I've made my peace with that. He has the ultimate weapon and he's using it this time around for our benefit, and America's benefit, when we need it most.

[customerserviceguy]

50. So, helping out a Republicon backfired?

Who could see that coming? Not Bloomie, which leads me to severely question his judgment.

[BusyBeingBest]

51. I think it's fair to question not only his judgment but his temperament.

[aeromanKC]

7. And now he's spending $300 million to defeat Trump

Go Mike go!!

[liskddksil]

9. Too bad Bloomberg didn't decide to use his billions helping us before

he decided he needed to be President.

[George II]

27. He did. He's spent about $6 Billion on various causes over the years....

People who are wanting to be critical of him should do some research first.

He spent hundreds of millions in 2018 on DEMOCRATIC candidates. That's more than all the other candidates combined!

[USALiberal]

43. Lol, read more! Nt

[Squinch]

55. In 2018 he bankrolled 21 Democratic challengers who won

Republican held seats.

[liskddksil]

56. In 2018 he also supported Republicans like Dan Donavan and Pete King

Imagine if control of the House came down to the Staten Island district and Max Rose ended up losing to Donovan?

[jr1118x]

39. concern

And that doesn't make you the least bit suspicious? It really worries me about motivations. I know he has had the same views on guns for a long time, but his past support of Republicans, The tape on stop and frisk, the tape of him blaming the housing collapse on ending redline discrimination (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/bloomberg-once-blamed-end-of-redlining-for-2008-economic-collapse). I can understand wanting his resources to help go against Trump, but some of these things are quite disturbing. While I may disagree with Joe or Amy on policy, I don't think in their heart of hearts that they are racist and I don't for a minute question their motives. They may have a different road map than I would like to make the country better, but they do seem like they want to make us better. Mike on the other hand, seems like he will do what is in his interest or helps him further his goal. I understand They have a personal dislike for each other, I just wonder once he gets Trump out and settles his grudge, who will he be serving, us or himself?

[aeromanKC]

45. He was re-elected to NYC Mayor twixe

NYC is a diverse community. His policies were Democratic in nature. He's not perfect (nobody is) like stop and frisk is an example , but he ran NYC as a Democrat.

[redqueen]

11. Yet another example of why I don't trust this guy.

[Jose Garcia]

13. He spent the money to send a signal to GOP legislators that

someone will have their backs if they break ranks and support gun control.

[democrattotheend]

14. Did he spend the money to help Toomey survive a primary challenge, or in the general?

That makes a big difference, IMO.

Was McGinty opposed to background checks?

[liskddksil]

18. General election. McGinty would have been a vote for gun reform and for Schumer for Majority leader

[democrattotheend]

29. Thanks for clarifying

I'd have been okay with this if she was anti-background checks or if he only helped Toomey in the primary. But yeah, this is another reason not to trust him. He's a Johnny come lately on too many things.

[earthside]

15. Democrats turning themselves inside-out for Bloomberg?

So ... it would be cool if Elizabeth Warren had campaigned for Ohio's Rob Portman?

Or if Bernie had endorsed Jeff Flake?

How about Joe Biden giving a big contribution to Susan Collins six years ago?

But since Bloomberg has got billions, we are going to overlook all of his transgressions?

The Bloomberg phenomenon is insane.

[liskddksil]

20. This nt

[OliverQ]

21. People are just scared and desperate to get rid of trump

by any means necessary.

[Butterflylady]

32. That's exactly what it's going to take

To rid us of this monster. If that's what it takes, so be it.

[Cal Carpenter]

49. Yes, it is insane

I can't believe it has gotten this far in terms of people supporting him. His record is clear. And it's not about his wealth, it is about his racist, authoritarian policies which destroy lives.

We won't really know what will happen until Super Tuesday but if he genuinely gains traction in the Democratic Party I don't know what that means. If he is the best we can do against Trump, I don't know what that means. The thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.

I am a Bernie supporter but I am fine with voting for any of the other candidates on the ballot (with varying degrees of enthusiasm, of course, lol). But I sure as shit hope that Democrats are not put to the loyalty test of having to vote for Bloomberg in November. He shouldn't be able to go that far.



I really, really, hope that he follows through with his promise to spend a billion dollars on whoever wins the nomination and it is not him. He may redeem himself a little if he does that.

[customerserviceguy]

52. I cannot fathom it myself

I'm gobsmacked at the numbers of people here on this forum who would even consider Bloomie, much less actually support him.

They must believe that money, and only money, wins elections, and the cost to their consciences is worth it.

[Autumn]

17. The respect and admiration I see for him because he goes after Trump reminds me of all the respect

for Kelly and all the other "adults in the room" "taking on Trump" .

[KPN]

31. Boom -- exactly. I'm not impressed.

[Nanjeanne]

33. It's frightening and sad. That he would represent the Democratic Party -- he would

be the face of the Democratic Party.

This man, who in 2010 said about Obama

in an interview with an Australian newspaper, Mr. Murdoch, the head of News Corporation, divulged that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had described President Obama as the most “arrogant man” he had ever met after playing his first and presumably last round of golf with the commander in chief.

https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/a-private-conversation-becomes-painfully-public/

After Bloomberg buys the United States, will Bezos be next? And then Zuckerberg after? After all, if the US is for sale - expect increased income disparity to soar. Not my idea of what the United could and should be.

[liskddksil]

35. You should do an OP with this so it gets seen nt

[Nanjeanne]

37. As a Sanders supporter on DU I don't have the energy for the drama!

But thanks!

[liskddksil]

38. Ok, I will tomorrow haha nt

[Nanjeanne]

41. Go for it!

[Aviation Pro]

34. The difference of course being

Bloomberg can actually do something about it.

[Autumn]

40. Yes, so could Kelly, Mueller, Rosenstein and others. nt

[Aviation Pro]

46. Nope, they couldn't

Or wouldn't.

[Autumn]

47. Yet they were touted as being the ones to do it. And they didn't.

[Locrian]

36. to be honest....

It reminds me of the people who voted for trump to "stick it to the libtards".
Vote against your own interests (long term) so you can "win"

[George II]

19. And?

[liskddksil]

22. No gun reform but a giant tax cut for the rich and Justices Kavenaugh and Gorsuch

good stuff for Democrats lol.

[Nanjeanne]

24. And $3 million to re-elect Rick Snyder after the Flint Water Crisis.

[OliverQ]

25. Bloomberg is also in pictures playing golf with Trump.

Bloomberg isn't a whole lot different than Trump other than he has more manners.

[Autumn]

42. This from 2013

'I'd Do Her': A Brief History of Michael Bloomberg's Public Sexism

When the latest New York magazine cover story on leading New York City mayoral candidate Christine Quinn came out this week, it quoted current Mayor Michael Bloomberg as telling a reporter to "look at the ass on her" while gesturing toward a woman at a holiday party. Elsewhere in the piece, Quinn spoke briefly about the frequent comments the mayor makes about her clothes and appearance:

[S]he said, "The mayor is going to yell at me when I get out of the car because I have flat boots on. The mayor has no use for flat shoes." Really, I said. Why would he care? "I was at a parade with him once and he said, ‘What are those?' and I said, ‘They're comfortable,' and he said, ‘I never want to hear those words out of your mouth again.'?" Everyone in the vehicle, including the security detail in the front seat, cracked up. "He likes me in high heels. Let's see how long it takes before he notices." She scrolled through her BlackBerry. "Another big thing with the mayor, when I am rooting … like, the couple of days a week before I need to get my hair colored, he'll say, ‘Do you pay a lot to make your hair be two colors? Because now it's three with the gray.' And I'm like, ‘Did you wake up being this big of an asshole? Or did it take, like, all day to ramp up to it to be able to insult me like that?'?"

Some were shocked that Bloomberg, with his endorsements for President Obama and progressive stances on gun control, seems to have a mean streak of misogyny coursing just underneath his billion-dollar bankroll and diminutive size. Not shocked was anyone who's worked around Bloomberg for any significant amount of time. Those are the people who know the Independent mayor's other side, the one forged in the cutthroat, chest-thumping world of Wall Street, where Bloomberg made his billions and sat atop a company that—allegedly—encouraged female employees to wear short skirts and "fuck-me shoes."

https://gawker.com/5979679/id-do-her-a-brief-history-of-michael-bloombergs-public-sexism?fbclid=IwAR295xjYruWyuz_VDCblNGorl1ClT_cZlsLFhg_q4ZHGikOou37xWdxok4Y

[progressoid]

53. wOw. I hadn't seen that before.

That'll really cinch the feminist vote.

[Autumn]

54. There's a lot more of those.

[evertonfc]

44. Could care less

I wanna beat Trump. Go back and look and Biden. He voted for Iraq war. Amy voted to appoint Far right judges. Bernie has enough video fawning over socialist that you could run 24/7 video. Move on

[ibegurpard]

48. This outweighs all of the money spent on Democratic House candidates

Because of the right-wing fascist judges being confirmed.
I don't believe that Bloomberg would himself appoint right-wing judges but he's been playing both sides for far too long for me to support him in a primary.