Strange Bedfellows: Michael Bloomberg Edition

David Weigel | June 27, 2007

Here's something that came up researching yesterday's piece—Michael Bloomberg has given an insane amount of money to politicians. Almost $700,000 for federal races (House, Senate, President) over three decades, and a lot of it before he actually entered politics. And until he maxed out for Joe Lieberman in 2006, he never donated to an independent. The hit lists:

Democrats: Daniel Patrick Moynihan ($200, 1979), Jimmy Carter ($1000 in 1979, long before the primary), Bill Bradley ($1000, twice, in 1983 and 1999), Bob Torricelli (pre-resignation in disgrace), Al Gore, Bill Clinton.

Republicans: Bob Dole (when he was riding high for the 1988 presidential nomination), Pete Du Pont (!), Steve Forbes (in the 1996 campaign) and both George Bushes.

Bloomberg has also donated to four of his prospective 2008 opponents: John McCain (in 2003), Chris Dodd (multiple times), Fred Thompson ($1000 in 1994) and Mitt Romney ($1000 for his 1994 Senate race against Ted Kennedy). He probably donated to Giuliani in 1989, 1993 or 1997, but those weren't federal filings and they don't show up here.

What does this mean? Well, map out the connections between Pete "Tax cuts for all!" Du Pont and Elizabeth "Impeach Bush yesterday!" Holtzman and report back to me. At the very least it gives him some credibility when he lectures about his independence.

Comments

highnumber|6.27.07 @ 9:06AM|#

Rich guy gives money to politicians!

We report. You yawn.

stephen the goldberger|6.27.07 @ 9:24AM|#

he probably wanted to buy into dinners so he could hobnob with specific individuals there.

who cares?

|6.27.07 @ 9:35AM|#

Nice photoshop pic though.

|6.27.07 @ 9:36AM|#

I think it's called covering your bases.

|6.27.07 @ 9:48AM|#

Wow, I'd forgotten about Pete DuPont.

I DO believe in the tax cut fairies. I do I do I DO!!!

Remember the ad with with the animation of the tractor pulling a trailer full of news clips about his opponents pandering to farmers? That took some stones.

|6.27.07 @ 10:59AM|#

Wow! Some wealthy people donate money to candidates, not for ideological reasons, but to facilitate access. I'm shocked, shocked I say.

|6.27.07 @ 11:08AM|#

Why it's almost as though Bloomberg would be on record as supporting the people in office - regardless of who won the race.

NP|6.27.07 @ 11:39AM|#

Gotta give credit where it's due. Looks like Bloomie can actually tout himself as a nonpartisan.

|6.27.07 @ 12:30PM|#

What does this mean?

He can walk into any room and say, "I supported one of your own."

Joseph Oddo|6.27.07 @ 12:49PM|#

Now he ought to donate to the Draft Bloomberg Committee... draft michael dot com

We are hoping to have independents running for Congress next year supporting his run for the White House.

Gene Berkman|6.27.07 @ 7:28PM|#

Apparently he has more money than good sense. Or should I say More Dollars than Sense!

Mike Bloomberg is a successful businessman. If he hired people like Bush, Dole or Clinton to manage his business, it would already be in bankruptcy. Why can't he see that?