Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is throwing his money around as he tries to push Uncle Joe Biden and the other "moderate" candidates off the campaign stage. No doubt he will also take aim at Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren before he finds other ways to spend his billions.
Bloomberg may even make it into future Democratic presidential primary debates. On Friday, the Democratic National Committee announced a rules change governing who qualifies for the national tv production set for Nevada this month. His presence sets up a necessary debate about the positive and negative influences money plays in our democracy. click here
To date, Bloomberg is climbing in the polls by spending his fortune on digital and conventional advertising. He is also making investments in Democratic causes. click here
Bloomberg, or his groups, have given $5 million to Fair Fight Action. click here and click here
They have also spent millions in Virginia to support gun violence protection efforts and candidates who back climate change policies. click here and click here
But I can't find anything online to indicate his support for the voting rights of returning citizens in Florida. So, it's time he sends a big check to the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. ridarrc.com/ This organization helped convince Florida citizens to vote to change their constitution in 2018. Almost 65% of voters approved Amendment 4, which returned the franchise to returning citizens who "complete all terms of their sentence," including parole and probation.
But this apparently simple language is subject to political and legislative debate and legal wrangling. That's because of SB 7066, a Florida law that requires returning citizens to repay fees, fines and restitution imposed by a judge before they can register and vote. The Republican governor signed the legislation about six months after voters decided to change the state constitution. Repaying criminal justice debt first will prevent many of an estimated 1.4 million returning citizens from registering and voting.
That's where Bloomberg and his money come into play. In a Nov. 26, 2019 article, Ezra Marcus wrote:
"A benevolent billionaire could simply pay off fees for all felons in Florida. In July, Meade's advocacy group, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, created a fundraising campaign to help felons in Florida pay off outstanding fines. So far, they've raised only $250,000 out of the $3 million they asked for. There's no immediately available estimate of how much paying off all the fines would cost, and the number is likely higher than the campaign's current goal. But it's certainly a number that would be a mere drop in the bucket for someone like Bloomberg, whose net worth tops $50 billion.
"In one fell swoop, he could vastly improve chances for Democrats in Florida. It might even get his name on television."
What do you say, Mr. Bloomberg?
(Article changed on February 3, 2020 at 11:30)
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