Politico gives us a look at the lavish operation self funded by multi-billionaire Money Mike Bloomberg….
That while other Democratic candidates go begging for campaign funding….
A record-shattering tab for TV ads, $12 million for a self-created tech firm to rival Donald Trump’s digital operation and nearly $250,000 on swank office furniture for his sprawling Manhattan headquarters — that was just a fraction of Mike Bloomberg’s budget for the first five weeks of his young, self-funded presidential campaign.
Bloomberg’s top two campaign lieutenants, chair Patti Harris and manager Kevin Sheekey, are on track to earn annual salaries of $375,000, according to a campaign aide. And that doesn’t account for the vintage Bloomberg staff bonuses, which totaled $1.5 million the year of his 2005 mayoral race alone.
High-level consultants including adviser Howard Wolfson, meanwhile, received checks to their firms totaling between $200,000 and 300,000, according to the campaign finance disclosure covering Bloomberg’s first weeks in the 2020 race, which was filed Friday. Mitch Stewart, a former Obama field guru, received $50,000 to his firm.
The staggering sums demonstrate the trademark lavish spending that has characterized Bloomberg’s late-in-life political career: a virtually bottomless wallet that fills in when campaign customs don’t appeal to him. The former New York City mayor’s determination that the traditional Iowa-centric presidential primary calendar doesn’t suit him simply wouldn’t work for another candidate. But it’s perfectly compatible with Bloomberg’s reality — when that reality includes $140 million spent on TV and digital ads, $3.3 million on polling alone, and nearly $1 million to crisscross the country in pursuit of delegates in Super Tuesday states other candidates can’t yet afford to focus on.
Bloomberg now has more than 1,000 people on his campaign payroll. Those employees got iPhone 11s and MacBooks and were put up in furnished Manhattan apartments if they relocated. Now, they enjoy catered meals throughout the long days they’re expected to clock. The campaign’s $750,000 travel tab, which includes the use of a private plane owned by Bloomberg’s eponymous financial news organization, doesn’t include airfare and hotels racked up this month as he zoomed in on California, Texas and Florida.
The campaign spent $10,000 on sushi alone.
And the $188 million that Bloomberg spent at the end of last year — far in excess of the other Democratic candidates — is only how much he spent between his late November entrance into the primary and Dec. 31, when the filing period ended. The ad spending by itself now tops $300 million, and on Sunday Bloomberg is airing a Super Bowl spot showcasing his record fighting the National Rifle Association for a cool $10 million….
image….Bloomberg
BTW?
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and businessman Tom Steyer spent a combined $340 million in the last quarter of 2019, far outpacing the amount spent by their rivals in the Democratic presidential race….
More….
I have really liked Bloomberg’ commercials. I particularly liked the recent commercial of an obese Trump walking on all fours on the golf course. I think his commercials have been very effective.
His response today to Trump when Trump made fun of Bloomberg’s height was perfect.
I also love it when Bloomberg trolls him over his billionaire status.