Michael Bloomberg tops the Chronicle of Philanthropy's list of Americaโs biggest donors in 2023
Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, gave the most to charitable causes last year, followed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, and Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropyโs exclusive list of the 50 Americans who donated the largest sums to nonprofits last year.
Ex-NYPD officer gets 10 years in prison for Jan. 6 attack
A retired New York Police Department officer has been sentenced to a record-setting 10 years in prison for attacking the U.S. Capitol and using a metal flagpole to assault one of the police officers trying to hold off a mob of Donald Trump supporters.
Sanctions on Russian oligarch donors hit Israel institutions
Billionaire Moshe Kantor has severed his longstanding ties to Tel Aviv University โ joining a growing list of Russian Jewish oligarchs who have scaled back their philanthropic activities after coming under international sanctions for their ties to President Vladimir Putin.
Police: Kidnapping suspect asked for Bloomberg's daughters
Investigators say a man who allegedly kidnapped an employee at the western Colorado ranch owned by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg at first asked her where the billionaireโs daughters were and later went on rants about Bloomberg, saying he wanted to โmake an international sceneโ with him or his daughters.
Tribeca plans in-person, outdoor film festival for June
The Tribeca Film Festival said Monday, March 29, 2021, it plans to hold its 20th edition in-person and with outdoor screenings in June. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)NEW YORK โ The Tribeca Film Festival said Monday that it plans to hold its 20th edition in-person this June and with outdoor screenings spread throughout New York's five boroughs. โThe Tribeca Film Festival was born out of our mission to bring people together in the aftermath of 9/11. Major film festivals โ the Berlin International Film Festival and the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas โ have thus far turned to virtual editions. France's Cannes Film Festival, usually held in May, is aiming for an in-person festival in July.
Sunshine State dims for Dems amid election losses, cash woes
Democrats hope to make deeper strides in changing their fortunes in a state that has become friendlier place for Republicans. And that was despite $100 million spent by Michael Bloomberg to help Democrats in the state. When the spending tally is complete, the last election cycle in Florida is expected to rank as among the most expensive in state history. AdโI donโt know anybody whoโs happy with investing $100 million and not winning,โ said Manny Diaz, the new chair of the Florida Democratic Party. Diaz, the state party chairman, is trying to reverse the slide in its voter registration advantage over Republicans.
Bezos and Bloomberg among top 50 US charity donors for 2020
Bezos is one of the 50 Americans who gave the most to charity in 2020, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropys annual rankings. โThere has been change building among private donors.โAll told, the 50 biggest donors contributed $24.7 billion in 2020, compared with $15.8 billion in 2019. The $1 billion-plus of giving by each of the top five on the Philanthropy 50 matches last yearโs record. No more than three donors gave $1 billion or more in any of the previous years. Colleges and universities received $2.2 billion from Philanthropy 50 donors in 2020.
UN chief reappoints billionaire Bloomberg as climate envoy
FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 file photo, Michael Bloomberg, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Climate Action, speaks during the plenary session of the Global Action Climate Summit, in San Francisco. The United Nations says American billionaire Michael Bloomberg has been reappointed as a special envoy to engage governments and businesses in tackling the threat of global warming. The U.N. said Friday, Feb. 5, 2021 that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants the former New York City mayor to mobilize stronger and more ambitious climate action in the lead-up to a global climate summit in November. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)BERLIN โ The United Nations says American billionaire Michael Bloomberg has been reappointed as a special envoy to engage governments and businesses in tackling the threat of global warming. The U.N. said Friday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants the former New York mayor to โmobilize stronger and more ambitious climate actionโ in the lead-up to a November global climate summit.
Super Bowl ads aim to comfort and connect
NEW YORK โ Super Bowl ads each year offer a snapshot of the American psyche. The chance to break into the psyche and (virtual) watercooler talk of an estimated 100 million viewers who will be watching the CBS broadcast of Super Bowl LV on Sunday. This yearโs Super Bowl will showcase more than 20 first-time advertisers โ more than double the 8 from last year if you exclude campaign ads, according to a tally by research firm iSpot. Itโs a bellwether when a brand can afford the estimated $5.5 million cost-of-entry for a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl. In stark contrast to last year's Super Bowl, which featured campaign ads from both Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg, politics is out of sight this year.
After years of work, Abrams takes victory lap in Georgia
People in the crowd hold up an image of Stacey Abrams as President-elect Joe Biden speaks in Atlanta, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, to campaign for Georgia Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, Rev. โI think whatโs next for Stacey is whatever Stacey wants to be next," said Leah Daughtry, a former chief of staff at the Democratic National Committee. โStacey Abrams (thatโs the tweet),โ wrote Karine Jean-Pierre, incoming deputy White House press secretary. At the same time, Abrams never stopped pushing Democrats to support her Georgia efforts and copy them nationally. Groh-Wargo emphasized this week that one difference between 2018 and 2020 was the success at turning out Black voters in rural areas.
Bloomberg's big spending struggles to sway election outcomes
His only win during a short-lived Democratic bid for the White House was in the territory of American Samoa. Yet after dumping $1.1 billion into his campaign, he waited until September to follow through on his vow to spend big to unseat Trump. The showing could raise questions about Bloomberg's ability to use his vast financial resources to sway politics in the future. Bloomberg advisers say it's unfair to blame him for not doing enough to help Biden in Florida. Democrats lost seats in the House on Election Day and failed to flip statehouse chambers they had targeted.
Biden wins Michigan, Wisconsin, now on brink of White House
A full day after Election Day, neither candidate had cleared the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. Trumpโs campaign requested a recount, though statewide recounts in Wisconsin have historically changed the vote tally by only a few hundred votes. After the victories in Wisconsin and Michigan, he was just six Electoral College votes away from the presidency. Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said the president would formally request a Wisconsin recount, citing โirregularities" in several counties. The Trump campaign on Wednesday pushed Republican donors to dig deeper into their pockets to help finance legal challenges.
The Latest: Biden in Florida, which went for Trump in 2016
Trump says, โLetโs get your governor to open it up.โ___6:30 p.m.Joe Biden is setting the stakes for Georgia voters: โWe win Georgia, we win everything,โ he says. The former New York City mayor already committed to spending $100 million to help Biden win the battleground state of Florida. Both Texas and Ohio were previously seen as solidly supporting President Donald Trump, and he won both states in 2016. ___3:35 p.m.President Donald Trump has started a busy day of campaigning with a cold, rain-soaked rally in Lansing, Michigan. Most polls show Trump trailing Democrat Joe Biden in a state that Trump won narrowly in his 2016 victory.
Georgia's McBath seeks 2nd win in once-famed GOP district
ATLANTA โ Karen Handel is looking for Republicans to mobilize in Georgia's 6th District, once an incubator of high-profile Republicans. But Democrat Lucy McBath, who unseated Handel in 2018, is trying to show that Atlanta's wealthiest suburbs have changed. But McBath is hitting Handel with a range of attacks, with the most concerted sparring around health care. โMy opponent's record on health care is absolutely dismal,โ McBath said. โRight now we have a single-issue, completely disengaged member of Congress representing this congressional district,โ Handel said.
Prince William, David Attenborough launch 'Earthshot' award
In this undated handout photo issued by WWF on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, British Naturalist Sir David Attenborough, sits with Prince William for a private outdoor screening of his upcoming film, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, at Kensington Palace, London. William, who has been immersed in environmental issues all his life, said the same resources used to tackle the coronavirus pandemic should be devoted to saving the natural world. โAccording to the experts, it really is the point of no return," he told Sky News. โItโs a matter of great urgency now.โWilliam also spoke about how his seven-year-old son, Prince George, is getting concerned about what's going on in the world. He said his son was left so saddened by an Attenborough documentary about extinction that he told his father โI donโt want to watch this anymore."
Bloomberg raises millions to help Florida felons vote
The former Democratic presidential candidate has helped raise more than $20 million so that felons who completed their prison sentences can vote in the presidential election. Bloomberg also has pledged $100 million to help Joe Biden win Florida. Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it,โ Bloomberg said in a written statement. The Florida Rights Restitution Coalition had raised about $5 million before Bloomberg made calls to raise almost $17 million more, according to Bloomberg staffers. ____This version corrects the name of the group to Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.
Trump ramps up ad spending in bid to counter Biden
The Trump campaign announced the โeight-figureโ ad buy Tuesday, but declined to say specifically how much will be spent in states that include North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona and Pennsylvania. That sets up a high-stakes dilemma for Trump campaign officials who are making key spending decisions at a time when Democrats have shattered fundraising records and overtaken what was once a formidable cash advantage enjoyed by Republicans. The Trump campaign said the moves were part of a broader shift in advertising spending. That's likely to put Trump at a disadvantage unless he ups the $32.6 million in ad time he's reserved in the state. โThe ads airing on local television beginning Tuesday feature real people whose lives have been positively impacted by President Trumpโs policies."
2020 Watch: How much more damage can Woodward do?
FILE - In this April 29, 2017, file photo journalist Bob Woodward sits at the head table during the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington. ___THE BIG QUESTIONSHow much more damage can Woodward do? There is no more expensive swing state on the 2020 map and there is no state more important to Trump's reelection than Florida. See it here: https://interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020/Every state allows voters to cast ballots before Nov. 3, either in person or by mail. ___2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election.
Bloomberg to spend at least $100M to help Biden in Florida
WASHINGTON โ Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is committing at least $100 million to help Joe Biden's presidential campaign in the crucial battleground state of Florida. A victory for Biden in Florida, the largest of the perennial battleground states, would significantly complicate Trump's path to reaching the 270 Electoral College votes needed to secure a second term. The billionaire Bloomberg launched his own campaign for the Democratic nomination late last year amid worries about Biden's strengths. Despite spending $1 billion on his campaign, Bloomberg struggled and dropped out in March, quickly endorsing Biden. Bloomberg's new spending is intended to boost Biden before the start of early voting in Florida, which begins on Sept. 24.
Trump raises $210 million, robust but well short of Biden
NEW YORK President Donald Trump and his Republican Party jointly raised $210 million in August, a robust sum but one dwarfed by the record $364.5 million raised by Democrats and their nominee, Joe Biden. Both campaigns are raising massive amounts of money but have very different priorities about how to spend it, said Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien. The Trump campaign, however, faces questions about how it has managed to lose a massive financial advantage. Trump campaign officials have kicked off a review of expenditures, including those authorized by former campaign manager Brad Parscale, who was demoted this summer. But even Parscales internal critics give him credit for helping the Trump campaign construct an unparalleled Republican operation to attract small donors online.
New this week: 'Cuties,' 'Unpregnant' and fresh 'Jeopardy!'
Heres a collection curated by The Associated Press entertainment journalists of whats arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. The film from director Mamouna Doucour is a thoughtful and poignant coming-of-age drama about Amy, an 11-year-old Senegalese immigrant living in Paris. Dont judge Cuties by its cover and give it a chance when it starts streaming Wednesday. Answer: Jeopardy! The quiz show with Alex Trebek at the helm of a COVID-19-conscious season hits screens Monday. Celebrity guest hosts are all the rage these days on late night TV but a documentary airing Thursday sheds light on one who really made history.
2020 Watch: Democrats begin their all-virtual convention
What were watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign:Days to general election: 78Days to first debate: 43___THE NARRATIVEThe first national political convention of the coronavirus era has arrived. President Donald Trump is working to step on the Democrats' convention and prevent Biden from earning any convention polling bounce. The Republican president launches a campaign tour on Monday that features in-person stops in three swing states, including Wisconsin. Forced to abandon their in-person convention in Milwaukee because of the pandemic, Democrats begin their all-virtual affair on Monday night. Biden won't be in Wisconsin for the Democrats' convention as initially planned this week, but Trump will.
US officials: Russia behind spread of virus disinformation
The spread of disinformation, including by Russia, is an urgent concern heading into the November vote. U.S. officials have warned before about the spread of disinformation tied to the pandemic. But on Tuesday, they went further by singling out a particular information agency that is registered in Russia, InfoRos. It operates a series of websites InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org and OneWorld.press that have leveraged the pandemic to promote anti-Western objectives and to spread disinformation. The researchers identified technical clues tying their websites to Russia and identified some financial connections between InfoRos and the government.
US officials: Russia behind spread of virus disinformation
The information had previously been classified, but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it. Officials described the Russian disinformation as part of an ongoing and persistent effort to advance false narratives and cause confusion. Though U.S. officials have warned before about the spread of disinformation tied to the pandemic, they went further on Tuesday by singling out a particular information agency that is registered in Russia, InfoRos and that operates a series of websites InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org and OneWorld.press that have leveraged the pandemic to promote anti-Western objectives and to spread disinformation. InfoRos and One Worlds ties to the Russian state have attracted scrutiny in the past from European disinformation analysts. The researchers identified technical clues tying their websites to Russia and identified some financial connections between InfoRos and the government.
New literary prize is $50,000 honor for best New York story
NEW YORK A new literary award with a $50,000 cash prize will honor those best at telling a New York story. Wolfson and Tusk are funding the prize themselves and have committed to at least 10 years. Starting next spring, the award will be presented to a book, fiction or nonfiction, published in a given calendar year that is about New York City or takes place there. Celebrated works of the past that would have fit that category include Robert Caro's The Power Broker, Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities and Toni Morrison's Jazz.Jurors for the Gotham prize include filmmaker Ric Burns, poet Safina Sinclair and former New York City schools chancellor Dennis Walcott. The deadline for submissions for the 2020 prize is Nov. 1.
Facing electoral headwinds, Trump brings back 2016 team
NEW YORK As anyone who has ever heard him speak knows, President Donald Trump loves to relive 2016. Our latest staff additions are making Team Trump even stronger and solidify Brads leadership.In the last week, the Trump campaign hired Jason Miller, communications director in 2016, to focus on strategy and coordinate between the campaign and the White House. And some of Trumps 2016 team never left: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the presidents daughter and son-in-law, are senior advisers. Kellyanne Conway, the presidents final 2016 campaign manager, remains a senior White House counselor. That includes Bannon, who remains supportive of Trump after a messy exit from the White House, and Keith Schiller, Trumps longtime security man.
What happens if no Democratic candidate earns enough delegates for a nomination?
Even if one candidate has more delegates than the other, thatโs only a โplurality,โ not a majority, per party rules. Candidates who earned delegates, but have since dropped out of the race, can try to push their delegates onto another candidate. A candidate needs to earn 2,375 delegates on subsequent ballots to win the nomination. However, having a contested convention is something the Democratic National Committee will do its best to avoid in the coming months. The last time a contested convention occurred was in 1952.
Bloomberg, Trump detail campaign ads to air on Super Bowl
Trump and Bloomberg will broadcast dueling ads during Sunday's NFL championship game, with each campaign spending an estimated $10 million on 60 seconds of airtime. Trump's campaign will air two ads during the game, both 30 seconds long. One, released Thursday, highlights Trump's record, especially on the economy, citing continued wage growth and the record low unemployment rate. โJust as the Super Bowl crowns the greatest football team, nothing says โwinningโ like President Donald Trump and his stellar record of accomplishment for all Americans,โ Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement. Trumpโs campaign has set fundraising records, with $46 million raised in the last quarter of 2019 alone.
Bloomberg entry into presidential race raises ethics issues
The entry of Bloomberg into the presidential race also raises potential conflict-of-interest questions involving his extensive business holdings, which go well beyond his news service. At his news service, Micklethwait said, Bloomberg reporters will still cover polls, policies and how the Bloomberg campaign is faring, much as it does for all candidates. To anyone who thinks the news service shouldn't cover Bloomberg at all, he said Bloomberg News โhas handled these conflicts before โ and proved our independence." David Shipley, who has overseen Bloomberg Opinion as its senior executive editor, is leaving to join the campaign, Micklethwait said. Itโs a different conversation than when he served as mayor of New York, Painter said.
Bloomberg files campaign paperwork, no decision on bid yet
WASHINGTON, DC โ New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg has taken another step toward launching a Democratic bid for president. The former New York City mayor, who became a Democrat just last year, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday to formally create a presidential campaign committee. The move legally allows him to begin raising and spending money on a 2020 campaign, although his team says heโs yet to make a final decision. Bloombergโs enormous wealth, his ties to Wall Street, and his status as a former Republican could make it difficult for him to win support among traditional Democratic primary voters. Before Thursdayโs federal filing, he had already filed paperwork to qualify for presidential primary ballots in three states.
Weary Democratic voters balk at new presidential candidates
Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Las Vegas. And on the ground in the states that matter most this primary season, voters have a clear message: Stop. The late entries, less than 80 days before voting begins, have exposed a fresh divide in the Democratic Party. On the other are voters and local officials across early voting states who are satisfied with their existing options. The satisfied voters are yelling the loudest, but the fresh faces are not giving in.
Bloomberg pouring $100M in anti-Trump ad campaign
New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who is deciding whether to launch a Democratic presidential bid, is pouring $100 million into an online advertising campaign attacking President Donald Trump. The campaign, which targets voters in four general election battleground states Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin begins running on Friday, according to Bloomberg spokesman Jason Schechter. The former New York City mayor has already filed paperwork in at least two states to appear on presidential primary ballots. Bloomberg himself is not featured in the ad campaign. One example of a new ad: An image of Trumps Twitter account that says, A TWEET SHOULDNT THREATEN OUR COUNTRYS SECURITY.
Bloomberg wonโt file to get on New Hampshire primary ballot
WASHINGTON, DC โ Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be weighing a run for president, but he wonโt be on the ballot in the New Hampshire primary. Bloombergโs team says the billionaire media mogul will not file in the state ahead of a Friday deadline to get on the ballot. Bloomberg is still deciding whether to seek the Democratic nomination. If he does run, his advisers have said he would skip early contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina and instead focus on the crush of states that vote on March 3 and beyond. An adviser says Bloomberg doesnโt want to set any expectation that he will compete in New Hampshire and therefore wonโt put his name on the ballot.
Bloomberg registers for 2020 ballot in Arkansas
Michael Bloomberg has filed paperwork to appear on the ballot in Arkansas' March 3 presidential primary. The billionaire former New York mayor hasn't formally announced a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Bloomberg sent staffers to Alabama last week to file for the primary there. He's moving toward a presidential bid as he warns that the current field of Democratic presidential candidates isn't equipped to defeat President Donald Trump next year. Bloomberg plans to skip the traditional early voting states and focus more on Super Tuesday states, including Arkansas and Alabama.
Biden has 'no problem' with Bloomberg running for president
"Michael's a solid guy, and let's see where it goes," Biden told reporters after filing paperwork to run in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary in February. Biden emphasized his support among African Americans, Latinos and working-class voters, plus solid standing with women and young voters. "The Democratic Party is a big tent," he said. Earlier this week, Biden accused her of being elitist in her criticism that any Democrat who doesn't back her progressive proposals on health care, education and other issues might be "running in the wrong presidential primary." Biden calls for adding a public option health insurance plan to compete alongside private insurance, while Warren wants a single-payer, government-run "Medicare for all" insurance model.
The Latest: Trump says Bloomberg wouldn't do well in 2020
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON, DC The Latest on Michael Bloomberg opening the door to a 2020 Democratic presidential bid (all times local):11:20 a.m.President Donald Trump is responding to a possible run by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the Democratic presidential nomination, saying "There is nobody" he'd "rather run against." Trump was responding to news that the billionaire Blomberg is opening the door to a 2020 White House bid. Trump says Bloomberg "doesn't have the magic to do well" and predicts Bloomberg will fail after spending "a lot of money." Bloomberg initially ruled out a 2020 run and has not made a final decision on whether to jump into the race. Billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is opening the door to a 2020 presidential campaign.
Michael Bloomberg opens door to 2020 presidential campaign
WASHINGTON, DC Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, is opening the door to a 2020 presidential campaign. Bloomberg announced earlier this year that he would not seek the Democratic nomination. But in a statement Thursday, his political adviser Howard Wolfson says Bloomberg is worried that the current crop of Democratic presidential candidates is "not well positioned" to defeat President Donald Trump. A Bloomberg adviser says the former mayor has not made a final decision on whether to run. But he is expected to file to get on the ballot in Alabama's presidential primary.