Bloomberg, In Freudian Slip, Brags He “Bought” Democratic Majority In The House In 2018

A Freudian slip by billionaire Mike Bloomberg is what seems to be getting most attention following last night’s South Carolina debate, even attracting Washington Post commentary and the rare attention of the mainstream in a moment underscoring how the elites view their role in America’s two-party system. 

While he was touting his $100 million in donations to House Democrats, he essentially bragged that he “bought” 21 congressional Democrats their seats in 2018 midterms.

Bloomberg came within a hair’s breadth of saying he *bought* the Democratic majority in the House and caught himself as it came out of his mouth pic.twitter.com/DG0keVMo2J

— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) February 26, 2020

“Let’s just go on the record, they talk about 40 Democrats,” Bloomberg said, referring to former Vice President Joe Biden.

“Twenty-one of those were people that I spent $100 million to help elect,” he continued.

“All of the new Democrats that came in and put Nancy Pelosi in charge and gave the Congress the ability to control this president, I bough-… I got them.”

Incredible. In the #DemDebate, billionaire Bloomberg boasted that he “bought” right-wing neoliberal Democrats like Nancy Pelosi

Then after saying “bought,” he quickly corrected himself and said “I bought, uh got them” pic.twitter.com/2mcDgPPhIJ

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) February 26, 2020

Needless to say the backlash was swift and merciless.

I BOUGHT THEM — Bloomberg accidentally admitting his world view.

— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) February 26, 2020

“Wow!!! He’s admitting he BOUGHT those seats! OMG!” — Donald Trump Jr. had also chimed in.

The billionaire founder of Bloomberg LP has faced deep criticism for leapfrogging other Democratic primary contenders in the national polls, despite being a latecomer. 

He’s faced labels of being an “oligarch” and essentially muscling, or rather buying, his way into debates based on his limitless campaign self-funding.