Laid Off Bloomberg Staffers Docked Taxes For Campaign Phones Computers
Josh Lederman
WASHINGTON Laid off campaign staffers to Michael Bloomberg’s campaign who received their final paychecks on Tuesday were docked hundreds of dollars to cover taxes on their campaign-issued cellphone and laptop, three former Bloomberg campaign staffers told NBC News.
The deductions came as a lawsuit against the Bloomberg campaign, alleging that the campaign fraudulently promised jobs through November, has grown from one plaintiff to more than 50. The plaintiffs are seeking to get the case certified as a class action in seven states, a move that could raise the number of claimants to over a thousand.
Former staffers told NBC News that their paychecks were docked more than $400. The Bloomberg campaign had touted how they had lured top talent to the campaign with new iPhone 11s and MacBooks, and offered to let staff keep them when they were let go. A campaign spokesperson said staffers were told during the off-boarding process that theyd pay taxes on those items, but several former staffers said they did not realize that it would be automatically deducted from their remaining paychecks.
Sally Abrahamson, an attorney for the former staffers suing the campaign, said her firm, Outten & Golden, is now investigating the campaigns deduction of purported taxes on cell phones and laptops.
A Bloomberg campaign spokesperson, responding to both the docked paychecks and the expanded lawsuit, re-issued the campaign’s statement from earlier in March.
Biden Campaign Mobilizes In Super Tuesday States
GEORGETOWN, S.C. The Biden campaign said Wednesday its launching a new six-figure, multi-channel paid media campaign in Super Tuesday states to push early voting with a special emphasis on reaching African American voters.
The ad Service, which has been running in SC this week including just before the debate and features President Obamas remarks when he presented Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom, will be on the air in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
The ad buys will target shows and stations that over-perform with African American viewership, the campaign said. Separately, the campaign will run radio ads in Texas and North Carolina talking about how Biden will build on the Obama legacy.
In California, North Carolina and Texas, they are running digital ads on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube also focused on the early vote.
Those television ads will be Biden’s first primarily targeted to Super Tuesday states other ads have run in states holding elections on Super Tuesday, but those ads aired in markets that also covered portions of the early primary states .
And Biden’s affiliated super-PAC, Unite the County, hasn’t run an ad in a Super Tuesday state either.
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg has already spent $172.3 million in those states, while billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer has spent more than $35 million. Both are funding their own campaigns with their massive personal wealth.
Get Other People To Vote
This is the main way most people think about volunteering during an election. Voter turnout in the US varies dramatically across groups. Perhaps the most obvious difference is by age: the vast majority of senior citizens vote in presidential elections, compared to less than half of young people.
Because a lot of Americans dont vote, in the final weeks before an election, political organizations run get out the vote programs . In typical election years, this looks like knocking on peoples doors and asking them to vote on Election Day. But the Covid-19 pandemic has stopped door-knocking efforts in their tracks . Instead, organizations are going all-in on outreach that can be done from home: making phone calls, sending text messages, and writing personal letters.
Nearly every day, someone asks me which of these three options calls, texts, and letters is best for boosting turnout. My answer: it depends on your target voters, your speed, and your interest. The most important thing is that you reach out to voters who stand a chance of swinging the election. This means contacting voters who live in purple areas places where the vote could plausibly go for the blue candidate or the red candidate . You can call as many people as you want in Arkansas, but theres zero chance youll flip the state from red to blue, even if you are effective at getting some left-leaning voters to turn out. Its simply not flippable at least, not this year.
Where to sign up:
Recommended Reading: Patriot’s Best One Tire & Auto Care
Biden Under Secret Service Protection Again
Pete Williams, Dan Gallo and Mike Memoli
WILMINGTON, Del. After a nearly three year hiatus, Joe Biden is once again a protectee of the United States Secret Service.
A protective detail began its assignment with the former vice president and Democratic front-runner this week, multiple law enforcement officials told NBC News, even as Biden is expected to remain off the campaign trail amid the coronavirus crisis.
The Biden campaign’s formal request for Secret Service protection was submitted last week to senior congressional officials, who by law consult with the secretary of Homeland Security to consider if candidates should receive security from the elite law enforcement agency.
Since kicking off his campaign last April, Biden has had minimal security on the campaign trail one private security guard often supplemented by local law enforcement from jurisdictions where he campaigned. The lighter security footprint allowed Biden to engage in the type of one-on-one, retail-oriented campaigning he preferred, especially in the early-voting states where voters place a premium on it.
Biden is not a stranger to Secret Service protection, of course. He first became a protectee of the agency in August 2008 when Barack Obama chose him as his vice presidential running mate. He and his family had a security detail throughout his eight years as vice president, and Biden for several additional months after he left office in 2017.
Weaver: Sanders Will Campaign For Biden If He Is The Nominee
“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Weaver said. Adding, “Right now we are working hard and working hard to win.”
The campaign is looking to shore up wins in this Tuesday’s upcoming nominating contests focusing specifically on Illinois and Arizona where Sanders performed well in 2016. However, states like Florida and Ohio will also be voting on Tuesday where Biden has a substantial likelihood of winning a larger share of delegates.
You May Like: What State Has The Most Republicans
Bloomberg Gives $18 Million To Dnc In Lieu Of Starting His Own Group To Beat Trump
Alex Seitz-Wald, Maura Barrett and Josh Lederman
WASHINGTON Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is transferring $18 million left in the accounts of his now-defunct presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee and forgoing, for now, creating his own independent political group to help Democrats in November.
While we considered creating our own independent entity to support the nominee and hold the President accountable, this race is too important to have many competing groups with good intentions but that are not coordinated and united in strategy and execution, Bloombergs campaign said in a memo to the DNC. The dynamics of the race have also fundamentally changed, and it is critically important that we all do everything we can to support our eventual nominee and scale the Democratic Partys general election efforts.
The funds will be put towards the DNC’s battleground buildup program, to hire data and operations staffers, among other efforts, in a dozen states that will be important in the general election.
Bloomberg will also offer to transfer campaign field offices the billionaire’s campaign set up and paid for to local state Democratic Parties as in-kind contributions. His staff, some of which were planning to transfer to work for Bloomberg’s independent entity in six battleground states, are all being laid off. They will be paid through the first week of April and have full benefits through the end of April.
Trump Holds Campaign Rally In New Hampshire Ahead Of Primary
But unlike in Iowa and New Hampshire, there is no GOP nominating contest in Nevada this year. The state party decided to cancel it in an effort to consolidate support for the president, working closely with the Republican National Committee to avoid any potential chaos at the convention in Charlotte this summer.
Senior campaign officials continue to make the case that while Democrats battle it out in search of their eventual nominee with the rise of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg complicating party unity on that side of the aisle the presidents campaign can capitalize nine months out from the general election, with no significant primary challenger.
Read Also: How To Watch Eagles Vs Patriots
Bloomberg Surpasses Warren In Major Endorsements After Debate Debut
Liz Brown-Kaiser
WASHINGTON Mike Bloomberg has officially surpassed Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in presidential endorsements from members of Congress and governors after his debut on the debate stage Wednesday night.
With the Nevada caucuses set for Saturday, Warren still does not have any major endorsements from politicians in the Silver State. Bloomberg will not be on the ballot in Nevada.
Joe Biden is the sole Democratic candidate with formal support from a Nevadan. Rep. Steven Horsford, the Democratic member for NV-04, endorsed the former Vice President on February 14. Biden leads the pack with a whopping 49 official backings from members of the House and Senate, along with governors of several states.
Bloomberg picked up three endorsements Thursday following his first debate appearance, stealing Warrens second place spot. The former New York City mayor has a total of 17 endorsements 16 from U.S. Representatives and one from Rhode Islands Democratic governor.
Warren now takes the bronze for endorsements with 14 in total.
Bloombergs latest endorsements came from Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Pete Aguilar, and Nita Lowey of New Jersey, California, and New York respectively.
Warren, who slipped in the polls as Bloomberg surged, repeatedly took swipes at the billionaire philanthropist at Wednesdays debate hosted by NBC News.
Bloomberg was a primary target on the debate stage and has been widely criticized for his policies and wealth by other candidates.
Monitor And Prevent Voter Suppression
Its not enough to turn out voters and help them navigate their polling places. We also have to make sure people can vote without fear of misinformation, intimidation, or violence. Already, Trump supporters have protested outside early voting sites in an attempt to suppress Democratic voters. Volunteers are sorely needed to monitor polling places for attempts at voter suppression as well as to identify disinformation spreading across social media and educate voters about their rights.
Where to sign up:
The Election Protection coalition is putting volunteers to work whether thats safely monitoring polls in person , surveilling social media for misinformation, or reaching out to voters so that they are up to date on their rights. Anyone can sign up to volunteer, even if they dont live in a swing state.
This truly is the most important, highest-stakes election of our lifetimes. If you arent volunteering yet, pick an organization and get going. If youre already doing your part, share this post with someone who needs to see it. We all need to do something. Americas future depends on it.
Don’t Miss: What’s The Difference Between The Democrats And Republicans
Former Obama Labor Secretary Among Those Launching New Pro
Ben Kamisar
WASHINGTON A group of Democrats, including former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, are launching a new super PAC backing former Vice President Joe Biden that is aimed at helping him secure pivotal western battlegrounds in a general election bid against President Trump.
NBC News has learned that the group, Win the West, will launch Thursday with Solis, a current member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors who served with Biden in the White House, as the group’s first co-chair. Former Biden speechwriter Mathew Littman will serve as the executive director.
While Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders is still running in the Democratic primary race against Biden, the NBC News Decision Desk projects he trails Biden by more than 312 delegates, as the nominating contest has been upended by the coronavirus outbreak.
Win the West aims to protect two blue-trending states in Nevada and Colorado, while also taking the battle to two red-leaning states where Democrats have had recent success, Texas and Arizona. Its leadership argues that while other groups are focusing on more conventional swing states, it can be effective in those western states where Democrats believe demographics are shifting in their favor.
“The only candidate who meets this criteria is former Vice President Joe Biden, and that is why I was proud to be an early endorser of his campaign for President. I know, because I’ve worked with Joe and I’ve seen him in action.”
Sanders And Biden Scrap On The Airwaves In Tuesday’s States
Ben Kamisar and Melissa Holzberg
WASHINGTON It may not be super, but as the Democratic race hits the latest round of contests today, Joe Biden is looking to replicate his strong showing on last week’s Super Tuesday and widen his delegate lead over Bernie Sanders.
The Sanders campaign is outspending Biden on the TV and radio airwaves across the six states that hold their nominating contests today $2.9 million to Biden’s almost $2.2 million, according to Advertising Analytics. But Biden’s effort has been boosted by spending from his allied super PAC, Unite the Country.
Both campaigns are spending the most in Michigan Sanders and Biden have spent about $1.2 million each, with Unite the Country spending another almost $400,000.
The Biden campaign and his super PAC have also run ads in Missouri and Mississippi, but neither have spent a cent on TV or radio ads in Washington, Idaho and North Dakota.
The Sanders campaign, by comparison, has gone up on the airwaves in all six states voting Tuesday.
Sanders’ top ad across these states, according to Advertising Analytics data, is one that attacks Biden on social security by using audio from a speech in 1995 where he called for a spending freeze across the government. His campaign has spent more than $644,000 to air the ad in states holding votes on Tuesday.
And Unite Our Country has spent $376,000 in these states on a spot that quotes Biden talking about his campaign, and includes some brief swipes at Sanders .
Read Also: 2009 Jeep Patriot Transmission Fluid
What Might Michigan’s Primary Turnout Say About The General Election
Ben Kamisar
WASHINGTON Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders had hoped a strong showing in Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary would help supercharge his fledgling campaign, but his campaign appears poised for a double-digit loss there.
NBC News contributor Dante Chinni, the director of the American Communities Project at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs and a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, pulled out three important takeaways from Michigan’s primary:
- There are cracks in Sanders’ coalition of young, college-age voters as well as the older working-class voters.
- Sanders’ success in areas that support President Trump “seems to have fizzled.”
- And turnout suggests Biden “might be the candidate to bring blue-collar voters back to the Democrats in 2020.”
Click here to read his full analysis.
Biden Edges Out Trump In New National Poll
Melissa Holzberg
WASHINGTON Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a narrow three-point lead on President Trump in a new national presidential race poll from Monmouth University. Forty-eight percent of registered voters prefer Biden, while 45 percent prefer the president however that lands within the poll’s margin of error. The poll did not release data on how Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders fared in a general election stand-off with Trump.
The picture changed slightly when the poll shifted to key state voters. According to the poll, 50 percent of voters in 300 “swing counties” counties in which less than 10 points separated Trump and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton back Biden while just 41 percent support the president. Trump and the leading Democratic candidate essentially split the current vote for Independents Trump edges out with 45 percent, and Biden garners 44 percent.
While the possible general election contest is extremely close, some key questions could end up affecting whether voters change their allegiances. Twenty-five percent of registered voters said their current financial situation was best described as “struggling”, and just 12 percent of registered voters said their financial status was improving. That could magnify as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has some experts saying unemployment could reach 20 percent in a worse-case scenario situation.
You May Like: If You Vote Republican In The Primaries
Biden Holds Lead In Latest General Election Polls
Melissa Holzberg
Apparent Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is hanging onto his lead in two general election polls against President Trump this week. In the latest Quinnipiac University poll, released Wednesday, and Monmouth University poll released Thursday, Biden leads Trump by eight points and four points respectively both leads land outside of the polls’ margins of error.
The polls were both conducted before Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, ended his presidential campaign on Wednesday.
While Biden maintains a lead against Trump in almost every general election poll, the president’s base doesn’t look keen to leave Trump. In the Quinnipiac University poll, Republicans back Trump with 91 percent support. And registered voters in the Monmouth University poll show nearly the same favorability toward the president and the apparent Democratic nominee.
Forty-two percent of registered voters said their opinion of the president is “very” or “somewhat” favorable. When asked about Biden, 41 percent of registered voters said they found him very or somewhat favorable, in the Monmouth poll. So Biden’s strength may be coming from independents a group which broke for Trump in 2016.
The Quinnipiac University poll was taken between April 2 and 6 with a margin of error of 2.2 points. The Monmouth University poll was completed between April 3 and 7 with a 3.6-point margin of error.
