Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg quietly donated $50 million in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.
The New York Times first reported on Monday about the donation – made to a non-profit organization that supports the Democratic candidate – because Bloomberg has gone through this presidential election much calmer than four years ago.
In 2020, he ran in the Democratic primaries, but after an embarrassing debate in Nevada and winning only American Samoa, he dropped out and endorsed President Joe Biden.
He also funneled hundreds of millions to Biden’s campaign, announcing in mid-September 2020 that he would direct $100 million of his own money toward the goal of helping Biden turn back Florida — which didn’t happen.
According to the Times, Bloomberg was implored this year by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman and investor Ron Conway to raise money before it was too late.
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg quietly donated $50 million
Bloomberg recently had a private conversation by phone with Harris, the newspaper said.
The billionaire businessman and former mayor of New York City has always refused to invest early in campaigns.
Instead, he has tried to fill gaps late in the game.
But this year’s donation only came recently, and Election Day is just eight days away.
The donation was to Future Forward USA Action, the dark money group associated with Harris’ main super PAC, Future Forward.
The 82-year-old Bloomberg has an estimated net worth of $105 billion.
Before the new $50 million donation, Bloomberg was the second-highest donor this cycle, behind billionaire liberal George Soros, who gave $47 million to Democrats.
The New York Times reported that Michael Bloomberg (left) was scarred during his 2020 presidential run, where he was humiliated on stage by Senator Elizabeth Warren (third from left)
But that’s small potatoes compared to the $95 million he gave to Democrats in 2018 as they tried to win back Congress during Trump’s term.
In total, Bloomberg gave more than $250 million in the 2018 and 2020 campaign cycles during the Trump era.
During his own run, he spent $1.1 billion.
He spent another $173 million to sway Biden and other Democrats.
That’s $126 million more than Bloomberg spent this cycle — despite Trump once again being the Republican nominee.
Bloomberg’s spending was unusual in 2020, some sources said, because he was a presidential candidate, though The Times reported he also found his run “scarring.”
He was angry that fellow New Yorker, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, did not support him.
And the newspaper said Bloomberg’s relationship with President Joe Biden was “frosty.”
He expressed concerns about Harris’ abilities even though he reportedly had a soft spot for her, The Times said, speaking positively about the vice president to businessman Ken Chenault in Sag around the time of August’s Democratic National Convention Harbour.