Thread by @alexburnsNYT

New: How Bloomberg’s multibillion-dollar foundation built a vast network of mayors, some of whom now lead his campaign

He has given $350mm to cities for arts, health, climate, schools, more

“When you start to engage with Mike, you are with Mike forever.”
nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/…

Bloomberg’s most important early endorsers are all mayors, in cities containing 2.6 million Americans.

Every one of those endorsers attended a Bloomberg boot camp for mayors at Harvard. Most of them have received grants from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/…

No mayors say they have felt coerced to endorse Bloomberg. There is widespread, genuine loyalty and goodwill towards someone mayors see as a uniquely powerful and reliable ally.

“It’s given him a great, great deal of credibility,” @SteveBenjaminSC says
nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/…

@SteveBenjaminSC Bloomberg Philanthropies is an unavoidable factor for mayors. Officials who worked w/mayors there are now on campaign seeking support.

@LightfootForChi, a Bloomberg fan, says she has spoken w/staff about keeping Chi-based philanthropy “apart from any presidential considerations”

@SteveBenjaminSC @LightfootForChi Bloomberg himself has made a priority of recruiting mayors to help his campaign, naming 3 as co-chairs. His decision to apologize for stop-and-frisk was informed by conversations with mayors, several of whom said in interviews it was a tough issue for them.

@SteveBenjaminSC @LightfootForChi Bloomberg has forged ties w/mayors in unlikely places, despite some considerable skepticism

“I thought he was going to tell me what kind of sugary drinks I could drink and not drink, would shut down the coal mines and tell us whether or not we could own guns and go hunting“

@SteveBenjaminSC @LightfootForChi The full dive on Bloomberg’s network of mayors — how he has shaped their cities and how they are shaping his campaign 👇

@nkulish @ShaneGoldmacher @AsteadWesley @kitty_bennett
nytimes.com/2019/12/14/us/…