Latest news with #MikeBloomberg
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Billionaire ex-Mayor Bloomberg endorses Cuomo in NYC Democratic primary showdown
Former three-term New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is taking sides in New York City's Democratic mayoral race. Bloomberg, the billionaire entrepreneur and media magnate who launched a brief and unsuccessful run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tuesday. The move came two weeks before the June 24 primary in the nation's most populous city and four days ahead of the start of early voting June 14. "I care deeply about the future of our city, and since leaving office, it has been difficult to watch its struggles, especially since the pandemic. In sizing up the field in the race for mayor, there is one candidate whose management experience and government know-how stand above the others: Andrew Cuomo," Bloomberg said in a statement. Bloomberg, in his statement, acknowledged past political "differences" with Cuomo during their overlapping tenures as New York City mayor and New York State governor. But he highlighted that "I also know his strengths as a leader and manager. Of all the candidates, Andrew has the skills our city needs to lead us forward." Fox News confirmed that Cuomo and Bloomberg met Monday to discuss the mayoral race after the former governor stopped by Bloomberg Media's offices in New York City to record a radio segment. Cuomo, in a statement, called Bloomberg New York City's "preeminent statesman" and highlighted that "after 9/11, when New York City was in crisis, torn apart and broken, under Mike Bloomberg's leadership our city was rebuilt — both our buildings and our soul." The former three-term governor, who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, is aiming for political redemption as he works to pull off a campaign comeback. Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations, which he has repeatedly denied, forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. Last month, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic. But thanks in part to his near-universal name recognition among New Yorkers, Cuomo was topping the mayoral polls even before he announced his candidacy March 1. Bloomberg, a lifelong Democrat, ran for mayor in 2001 and re-election in 2005 as a Republican. He had become an independent by the time he won a second re-election in 2009. Bloomberg later switched his voter registration back to the Democratic Party. Similar to Cuomo, Bloomberg is no fan of the Democratic Party's left flank and is also a strong supporter of Israel. That may have been a motivating factor in Bloomberg's endorsement of Cuomo, which comes as Zohran Mamdani has been rising in the most recent public opinion polls in the mayoral primary race and is now a clear second to Cuomo. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens, is a person of color and a democratic socialist who is originally from Uganda. His primary bid was boosted last week after landing an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive champion and New York City's most prominent leader on the left. With multiple progressive candidates in the primary race, the endorsement of Mamdani by Ocasio-Cortez was seen as a move to unite fractured progressive voters toward a single candidate in an attempt to block the more moderate Cuomo from returning to power.
New York Post
12-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
The Bloomberg family gets two slimy new members — and they're not politicians
Her time in the slime light My VIP exclusive information begins with a garden-variety snail. My own deep sea wisdom — sharpened in the Rockaways — brings me to this heavy-duty situation. Not my usual-type problem that barks, pees and gets rich in DC, but pay attention: Two snails were just 'rescued.' Size of your pinky. Escargots cost heavy if ordered in a high-class French restaurant. A ruler determined this patient's length was smaller than a folded-up C-note. Mike Bloomberg's daughter cares for them as pets and one's shell was decaying. Medics determined the problem as bacterial or fungal. The hospital's exotic team X-rayed both to see what the healthy shell looked like versus the unhealthy. So they put a control animal there — do not ask me where one grabs a control snail. Advertisement Why Bloomberg's daughter treasures such creatures or her need for snails is not clear. This bacterial or fungal infection was decomposing one's shell. The patient turned out to be male — though how you tell, this I'm not sure. Afterward they compared shells. Resin was applied. Also high doses of antibiotic and antifungal agents. Mixed with a resin it's painted on the shell. Listen, some of us did that with husbands. Advertisement Touching the medication to the snail itself? Not safe. The stuff needs to be meticulously applied to the shell — and stay there. It was determined that this antibiotic fungal infection presumably comes from congestion. Instantly I receive advance information on its well-being, I shall report it. For now I thank the Animal Medical Center's Dr. Doug Palma for sharing this information. Sometimes you can go a whole week without a good snail story. Leave me be Why's New Yorker magazine — which I'd devour cover to cover if each issue's piece didn't last longer than my hair tint — feel a need to pee on me regularly? One recent issue tinkled on me saying they heard I was in a dermatologist's office. This past week — they peed on me again. Advertisement Once more and I either send them a horse's head or a real live snail with measles. Pope-ing for the best Maria Cooper's dad was movie star Gary Cooper. Once she said: 'Both of us were in line to be blessed by the then-Pope. Advertisement 'It's very formal. His Holiness walks in, everyone genuflects. Kneeling, my father lost his balance and dropped all his rosaries on the floor. Some rolled onto His Holiness' velvet slippers, which my father could not exactly reclaim. He was very embarrassed.' Broadway's Tonys are upon us. Here's a famous story: George Bernard Shaw once sent Winston Churchill two tickets to his play 'Pygmalion.' His note said: 'Bring a friend — if you have one.' Churchill replied: 'Sorry I cannot come to the first night — but will come to the second — if there is one.' Only in New York, kids, only in New York.
Bloomberg
17-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Trump Picks Bowman to Be Fed Vice Chair for Supervision
00:00 So Mike Bloomberg had reported that this move was likely. But what should we know about Mickey Bowman serving in this role? Well, she would be likely to be confirmed. She's already been confirmed as a Fed governor. So it is just the additional title as vice chair. So it shouldn't be too difficult for her. She is a Republican. She was appointed in 2018 by president then President Trump, to an open seat as a governor, filling essentially what is the small bank governor responsibility on the board. She was a Kansas bank commissioner and she ran a family bank in Kansas for a number of years. So she has a lot of experience in there in that area. And she should be confirmed without any kind of tacit. That was my next question. Mike, as the president writes, Mickey's been serving honorably on the Fed's Board of governors since 2018, has great expertise dealing with inflation, regulation and banking. Will senators see it that way? I think they will. She's obviously very much sees things from a deregulatory Republican point of view. She has argued with Michael Barr about things like the supplementary leverage ratio and about additional capital required for banks, suggesting that the banks need to be tiered, that we need to give smaller banks less regulation than bigger banks. But overall, she is a product of the banking system. So it's a philosophical difference rather than any question about her qualifications. Well, and we know that Michael Barr is going to still remain a governor, even though he will no longer be serving in this role and does raise the question of how the Fed in its entirety is going to be approaching whatever capital requirements look like from here, including the chairman, Jerome Powell. Well, that is a big question for the banking industry, because there is something called the Basel three Endgame, which is a new set of regulations on top of previous ones that came out of the Basel Banking Working Group in Switzerland. That would require higher capital levels for banks, for the biggest banks, basically. And those banks have been fighting that for quite some time, not only the capital levels, but the complexity of regulation. They got to the point where the Fed withdrew the proposal last year and reworked it and then put it out again, was planning to re propose it this winter. And because Michael Barr last, they have backed off on that. Now the question is, does it go forward at all or does it get significantly reworked under new vice chair, Bob?
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gifts from top 50 US philanthropists rebounded to $16B in 2024 − Mike Bloomberg; Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin; and Michael and Susan Dell lead the list of biggest givers
The 50 American individuals and couples who gave or pledged the most to charity in 2024 committed US$16.2 billion to foundations, universities, hospitals and more. That total was 33% above an inflation-adjusted $12.2 billion in 2023, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy's latest annual tally of these donations. Media mogul and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg led the list, followed by Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings, along with his wife, Patty Quillin. Businessman Michael Dell and his wife, Susan Dell, pledged the third most in 2024. Neither MacKenzie Scott nor Elon Musk, both of whom announced donations large enough to land them on this list, provided enough information for the Chronicle to include them. Musk didn't name the nonprofits to which he gave stock, and Scott declined to confirm how much money she put into the donor-advised funds through which she gives. Known as DAFs, these funds are savings accounts reserved for charitable giving. The Conversation U.S. asked David Campbell, Lindsey McDougle and Susan Appe, three philanthropy scholars, to assess the significance of these gifts and to consider what they indicate about the state of charitable giving in the United States. Appe: I think it's good to see that eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, an Iranian-American entrepreneur born in France, with his wife Pam, are among the top 12 donors. Omidyar is the only foreign-born philanthropist on this list who reported giving to democracy promotion in the U.S. through his Democracy Fund. The Omidyars also funded the AI Collaborative, a group that promotes artificial intelligence governance based on democratic values, and their Omidyar Network, an organization promoting responsible technology. Given concerns about democratic backsliding around the world, which could arguably include President Donald Trump's efforts to expand the executive branch's power, I'm surprised not to see more top donors clearly funding democracy promotion. I study philanthropy by U.S. immigrants. They either give more or at the same rate as people born in the United States. Omidyar is one of seven immigrants among 2024's top U.S. donors. The others are Herta Amir, who was born in what was then Czechoslovakia; Sergey Brin, a Russian immigrant; the Pagidipati family, which came from India; K. Lisa Yang, who was born in Singapore; Michele Kang, who immigrated from South Korea; and Joe Wen, a Taiwanese immigrant. In 2024, as in most years, many of these wealthy donors supported prestigious universities and large hospitals and stowed millions in their own foundations and donor-advised funds. Although it's impossible to predict exactly what their foundations and DAFs will support in the future, history suggests that they're unlikely to focus on addressing systemic issues such as economic inequality. McDougle: It doesn't appear that any of these top 50 donors are Black or Latino. This lack of representation is undoubtedly a reflection of broader societal disparities and may influence how individuals from these groups perceive their own potential as philanthropists. Philanthropic capacity often correlates with wealth accumulation, and significant gaps in wealth between racial groups are likely to have a direct influence on who we see in the Philanthropy 50. Black families, for instance, possess just 15% of the wealth of white families, while Hispanic families have only about 22%. These wealth disparities likely prevent many Black and Latino Americans from having the wealth necessary to engage in large-scale philanthropy. This reality highlights the need for the nation's leading philanthropists to fund initiatives that focus on addressing systemic barriers to economic equality. MacKenzie Scott has been doing this through the millions of dollars she has donated to support racial equity and economic mobility. Addressing these disparities also involves changing the narrative around who is considered a philanthropist. As I have argued before, underrepresented groups may not always see themselves as philanthropists, partly due to limited resources and the historical portrayal of philanthropy as the domain of the wealthy. But by redefining philanthropy to include a broader spectrum of giving, philanthropy can play a pivotal role in leveling the playing field and creating more opportunities for all. Appe: The absence of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Google co-founder Larry Page and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer also stands out due to the presence of many other tech billionaires, including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, on this list. Campbell: In addition to Elon Musk, a South African immigrant, not making this list for the second year in a row – even though he is the richest person in the world – Jeff Bezos isn't listed either. Few private citizens have sought to change American society more than they have – Musk most recently through his role in the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and Bezos through actions he takes as the owner of The Washington Post and the founder of Amazon, among other initiatives. I believe that it is worth asking why neither of these men, who rank among the wealthiest Americans, made the list this year. While Musk gave too little information to make the list, his previous giving choices raise questions about his commitment to philanthropy as a way to advance the public good. In 2022 and 2023, for example, his foundation gave away less money than required by law and supported organizations that benefit him and his interests, such as schools attended by his children. Bezos, by contrast, got a lot of attention in 2022 when he announced he would give away his fortune during his lifetime. Yet his giving has come in fits and starts since 2018, when he began to give away billions of dollars to support people experiencing homelessness, preschools for low-income children and efforts to fight climate change. McDougle: The nonprofits receiving these large donations can end up in a precarious situation if that funding suddenly stops. When nonprofits rely too heavily on a few wealthy donors, they may be forced to make abrupt decisions like cutting crucial programs or laying off staff. Obviously, this underscores a core problem with overdependence on these types of major gifts: They can leave nonprofits in a bind and unable to sustain their operations without continued long-term support. This is particularly problematic if it affects a nonprofit's ability to engage in long-term planning. As such, when focusing on the giving of the super rich, it is important to consider not just the immediate benefits of their generosity but also the potential instability it can create for the recipients if their gift is not managed strategically. Campbell: The total given by America's top donors in 2024 was the sixth-highest in the past decade, after adjusting for inflation. I'd expected to see a larger amount, given that 2024 was the second straight year of stock market gains of 20% or more. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, the top donors gave nearly twice as much to charity as they did this past year; and they gave close to $8 billion more than that in 2021. Why haven't the wealthiest Americans sustained that level? Giant gifts to universities, museums and hospitals are surely making a meaningful difference in America and the world. But I wonder why these donors tend not to focus on the challenges facing those who have the least. One significant exception is the $1 billion Ruth Gottesman gave the Bronx-based Albert Einstein College of Medicine to allow the school to become tuition-free. Gottesman, a former faculty member at the school, chose to honor and support the many first-generation and low-income students trained there. Bloomberg, upping his commitment to ease the tuition burden at Johns Hopkins University, made a similar gift to the medical school at his alma mater and four medical schools at historically black colleges and universities. To be sure, some of these philanthropists use the foundations they or their relatives control to help meet the basic needs of Americans struggling to get by and address issues such as poverty, disease prevention and criminal justice reform. Melinda French Gates, Warren Buffett, and John and Laura Arnold all directed much of their giving in 2024 to those kinds of foundations. Appe: The Trump administration has frozen most U.S. foreign aid, endangering the lives of millions of the world's poorest people. There are calls for the wealthiest philanthropists to help to fill this void. I hope some big donors respond with large gifts to UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, and the WHO Foundation, which supports the World Health Organization. Top philanthropists have been slow to react so far. However, the MacArthur Foundation just announced plans to increase its giving over the next two years. MacArthur president John Palfrey said this is a response to what he called a 'major crisis' brought on by the Trump administration's spending cuts. I will observe whether other foundations or some of the wealthiest Americans follow suit. Still, philanthropy cannot fill all these gaps. The $60 billion in foreign aid cuts represent a sliver of the trillions the Trump administration wants to slice from the federal budget. If it succeeds, donors will have countless other priorities. Campbell: Events that took place during the first Trump administration, like the murder of George Floyd, the erosion of democratic norms and the separation of immigrant families, led philanthropists to embrace giving that addressed these issues, notably diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In the early days of the second Trump administration, prominent donors like Mark Zuckerberg have enthusiastically backtracked on their own DEI policies. I am now watching how other donors position themselves relative to the Trump administration's objectives – as cheerleaders, combatants or something in between. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Arnold Ventures have provided funding for The Conversation U.S. in the past. The Gates foundation currently provides funding for The Conversation internationally. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: David Campbell, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Lindsey McDougle, Rutgers University - Newark, and Susan Appe, University at Albany, State University of New York Read more: Trump has purged the Kennedy Center's board, which in turn made him its chair – why does that matter? Donations by top 50 US donors fell again in 2023, sliding to B − Mike Bloomberg, Phil and Penny Knight, and Michael and Susan Dell led the list of biggest givers Donations by top 50 US donors dropped sharply to billion in 2022 – Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mike Bloomberg and Warren Buffett lead the list of biggest givers David Campbell receives grants from the Learning by Giving Foundation and the Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation to support the experiential philanthropy course he teaches at Binghamton University. He also serves as the chair of the Klee Foundation board. Lindsey McDougle and Susan Appe do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Editorial: The NYPD's long learning curve — Slowly getting better on stop, question, frisk
A dozen years ago, a federal judge ruled the NYPD's practice of stopping, questioning and frisking New Yorkers by the hundreds of thousands to be unconstitutional — as the vast majority of stops, overwhelmingly of young Black and Brown men, weren't based on sufficient individualized suspicion. The 23rd — count 'em — report of the court-appointed independent monitor is out, and reveals that even as the city's police have made great strides, they've got a fair distance yet to travel. When the court struck down the city's stop-and-frisk practices, we like many others howled that it would deal a serious blow to New York's efforts to keep driving down violent crime. We said then that 'outrageously predictable, dangerously misguided ruling' was a '195-page scream of self-righteous ideology.' The decision, we wrote, 'threatens to push the city back toward the ravages of lawlessness and bloodshed.' Three years later, we saw crime continuing to decline despite massive dialing back of stop-and-frisks (from nearly 700,000 in 2011 to 12,000 in 2016) and admitted that we'd been wrong, writing: 'New York is safer while friction between the NYPD and the city's minority communities has eased.' While an important tool in the toolbox, stop, question and frisk clearly had been overused, and abused. Fast forward to today. The latest data available, for 2023, puts the annual stop-and-frisk total at about 16,000, higher than recent lows but way, way, way lower than under Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Commissioner Ray Kelly. This new report by independent monitor Mylan Denerstein drills down to review a sample of some 400 recent stops to determine whether they conformed to constitutional standards. The answer: mostly, but not often enough. While nearly 92% of stops by patrol cops passed muster, just 75% of those by Neighborhood Safety Teams were. The video player is currently playing an ad. The numbers were still lower, just 64%, for Public Safety Teams. Those NSTs and PSTs are specialized units created in recent years to combat gun violence. NSTs replaced Anti-Crime Units, who had been radioactive in some circles; PSTs are proactive enforcement units charged with addressing both violent crime and quality-of-life problems. The share of frisks and fuller searches complying with the ruling — and the Constitution's Fourth Amendment guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures — were lower than the stop numbers. Just 58% of NST frisks and 64% of NST searches were lawful, according to the monitor, failing grades well below the A- rate of 89% that patrol cops hit. (Major racial disparities remain — 95% of stops were of Black and Hispanic New Yorkers, and 97% were of men — but it's not clear how out-of-whack this is with reports of related criminal activity.) Perhaps the biggest problems are that supervisors approved as lawful 99% of stops, frisks and searches, frequently rubber-stamping behavior that clearly failed to comply with the rules. Indeed, when there was body-worn camera footage to scrutinize, it frequently contradicted those cops' reports. Relatedly, officers frequently justified stops using standard language that strongly suggests they weren't driven by individualized suspicion. Denerstein urges better supervisory reviews; better training; and a stronger system for monitoring cops' compliance, or lack thereof, with the rules. Amen on all counts. We're all for proactive policing. But public trust is a plant to be tended to every day, every season, every year. _____
