Some Facts about Michael Bloomberg

Support for Republicans

Was a registered Republican from 2001-2007, and changed registration to Democrat in 2018.

Was elected New York City mayor three times as a Republican; narrowly won his first term over a Democrat in 2001 with crucial support from Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
While mayor, Bloomberg’s lavish funding of Republicans and GOP party committees in New York state helped maintain Republican control of the state senate.
Spoke at the 2004 Republican National Convention, where he voiced strong support for re-electing President George W. Bush.
Funded and endorsed Massachusetts GOP Sen. Scott Brown for reelection in 2012 over Elizabeth Warren.
Spent millions through his PAC on TV ads to re-elect Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, in 2014, the year Flint’s drinking water crisis began thanks to a Snyder-appointed Emergency Manager. (Bloomberg praised Snyder as "an extremely competent guy who took on the unions.")
Spent nearly $12 million in 2016 to help conservative Republican Sen. Pat Toomey defeat Democrat Katie McGinty (by less than 1.5 percent) in the swing state of Pennsylvania.
While mostly funding Democrats for Congress in 2018, funded two incumbent New York-area Republican congressmen in close races, including victorious Rep. Peter King.

Policing

Dramatically expanded the policy of “Stop and Frisk” during his years as mayor – which resulted in stopping and frisking 685,000 people in 2011 alone, only 9 percent of them white.
For years after leaving office, defended Stop and Frisk deceptively and consistently up to a month before entering the presidential race. In 2015, he said: “We put all the cops in minority neighborhoods. Yes, that's true. Why do we do it? Because that’s where all the crime is. . . And the way you get the guns out of the kids’ hands is to throw them up against the wall and frisk them.”
His actions were ruled racially discriminatory and unconstitutional in federal court in 2013, after data showed that in 98.5 percent of the stop-and-frisk cases during eight years no weapon was found.
Militarized New York’s police – once boasting (falsely) that his NYPD “army” was “the seventh biggest army in the world” – and oversaw brutal mass arrests and surveillance of nonviolent protesters at the 2004 Republican convention, and of journalists and activists at Occupy Wall Street in 2011.
Conducted extensive warrantless spying on ordinary Muslim Americans, their businesses and mosques in New York City and beyond.

Economics

As mayor, sued the City Council in 2012 after it overrode his veto of legislation raising the pay of construction and building service workers to $11.50 per hour.
Has repeatedly advocated cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits (but not military spending) – once calling for higher Medicaid co-pays so poor people would “think twice before they use services.”
Promoted the right-wing line that the Wall Street meltdown was caused not by greed, fraud or predatory lending but by the curtailment of racially discriminatory lending known as “redlining.”
Regularly promotes misleading health-insurance industry attacks on Medicare for All.

Foreign Policy & Trade

Campaigning in January, said he doesn’t regret his strong support of Bush’s 2003 Iraq invasion – claiming, despite a well-documented record of deceptions, that war advocates had made a “mistake” and “did it honestly.” (In 2007, he chastised Democratic leaders in Congress for efforts to wind down the war.)
Has unwaveringly defended Israeli actions (even disproportionate attacks on people living in Gaza).
Opposed Obama’s 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran.
Has been as stalwart as establishment Republicans in supporting corporate-oriented trade pacts like NAFTA and TPP, which he endorsed in a column co-written with the CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Sexism

At the company he founded, dozens of sex discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits have been filed against him and his firm by 64 women. According to an in-depth Business Insider report, “women who worked there have called it a toxic, sexually charged nightmare.”
As an employer, he had a long history of inappropriate sexual comments and remarks about women’s appearances.

Personal Finances

No presidential campaign in history has spent so much in so short a time – on track to break all records.
Although his opponents have revealed their financial details, Bloomberg was granted an extension on his financial disclosure filing until March 20, after most delegates will have been chosen.
While not accepting donations to his own campaign, has courted “wealthy donors” to fund the Democratic National Committee, which in turn changed its rules to favor Bloomberg.
His foundation has hidden hundreds of millions of dollars in offshore accounts.

Rigging the Rules

Changed New York City election law so he could run for a third term as mayor, and opposed efforts to put the law change before voters in a referendum.
Days before his November 2019 presidential campaign launch, made a major donation to the DNC, which later amended its debate requirements to allow Bloomberg’s inclusion.

Donald Trump

Commented on national TV in 2011 when asked about Trump possibly running for president: “I know Donald Trump. He’s a great guy . . . I’m a big fan of Donald Trump.”