Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is spending big in Florida. The failed Democrat presidential nominee has already pledged to spend $100 million to help elect Joe Biden, and he's spending his money in a more alternative way.
Bloomberg has spent millions in order to get 32,000 felons to go to the voting booth on November 3rd. Through the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, Bloomberg has raised more than $16 million. The coalition helps convicted felons register to vote.
According to Axios News, Bloomberg has spent money to help pay off the monetary obligations of 32,000 felons. In a statement, a Bloomberg spokesperson said, "The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy, and no American should be denied that right. Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it."
In Florida, a felon can vote if they pay all fines due to the government.
Why this matters: Someone like Bloomberg doesn't spend his money foolishly. While he has pledged a large sum to help elect Joe Biden in November, he is not going to throw money at the wall. By spending money for felons to vote, he is banking on these felons to vote for Joe Biden in November. Florida is a crucial battleground state for this upcoming presidential election. President Trump, who is a new member of the Florida state, won the electoral vote in Florida in 2016. Both parities are going to spend big in this state if they want the victory on election night. But Bloomberg, who is outwardly against Trump, wants to make the election go his way, and he's prepared to spend for it. Paying felon's fines is a strategic move that could have large effects on the outcome of the election. He knows that, and is moving his money in the right direction. For President Trump, he is now going to have to counter this action by appealing to felons in his state.
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