Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), both running for the Democratic party’s nomination in 2020, criticized billionaire Michael Bloomberg this weekend as he officially joined the race.
Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, announced on Sunday that he would enter the 2020 fight.
“I’m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America,” Bloomberg tweeted on Sunday, with a video. “I believe my unique set of experiences in business, government, and philanthropy will enable me to win and lead.”
It is perhaps not a shock that Warren and Sanders took aim at Bloomberg following his announcement. The two senators have run campaigns that have vilified people like Bloomberg—extremely wealthy Americans—and called on them to pay more in taxes that would be used to fund many proposals.
On Saturday, Warren criticized an ad buy the former New York City mayor was preparing, adding that, under her possible administration, Bloomberg would have to pay his “fair share.”
“Mike Bloomberg is placing $34 million in TV ads in one week—the most of any presidential candidate in history,” Warren tweeted. “That’s one way to pay less under my #WealthTax. Because in a Warren administration, he and his billionaire friends would finally have to pay their fair share.”
Mike Bloomberg is placing $34 million in TV ads in one week—the most of any presidential candidate in history.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 23, 2019
That’s one way to pay less under my #WealthTax. Because in a Warren administration, he and his billionaire friends would finally have to pay their fair share. https://t.co/qWHtk37zaM
Meanwhile, Sanders also criticized Bloomberg, predicting that he was not “going to get very far in this election.”
“We do not believe that billionaires have the right to buy elections,” Sanders tweeted on Sunday. “That is why multi-billionaires like Michael Bloomberg are not going to get very far in this election.”
We do not believe that billionaires have the right to buy elections.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 24, 2019
That is why multi-billionaires like Michael Bloomberg are not going to get very far in this election. pic.twitter.com/738Eg5ssLe
On Twitter, a number of people pointed out how, given Bloomberg’s massive wealth, ad buys in the tens of millions amounted to very little for him.
https://twitter.com/sparkyabraham/status/1198023495772360710
Bloomberg’s team has not responded to questions about the criticism of his wealth so far.
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