Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg suggested in 2018 that he prefers that Bloomberg News avoid writing negative stories about him.
Bloomberg’s comments came almost one year before Bloomberg News announced Sunday that it will forgo investigating the billionaire during his presidential run. Bloomberg News will also avoid investigating his Democratic primary opponents, the news outlet announced.
“I don’t want the reporters I’m paying to write a bad story about me. I don’t want them to be independent,” Bloomberg said in a 2018 interview in response to questions about what he plans to do if he runs. The former mayor added that he would consider selling the outlet if he runs.
Bloomberg is running a Democrat, though he served as mayor as a Republican for a portion of his tenure before switching to Independent.
Bloomberg News made its announcement the same day Bloomberg made his presidential ambitions official. (RELATED: Bloomberg News Pledges Not To Investigate Democratic Presidential Candidates)
FILE PHOTO: Special envoy to the United Nations for climate change Michael Bloomberg REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
“We will continue our tradition of not investigating Mike (and his family and his foundation) and we will extend the same policy to his rivals in the Democratic primaries,” Bloomberg News editor-in-chief John Micklethwait said in a note to staffers Sunday.
The news outlet “will continue to investigate the Trump administration, as the government of the day,” Micklethwait added. He also revealed that two Bloomberg News staffers — Tim O’Brien and David Shipley — are joining Bloomberg’s attempt to thwart President Donald Trump’s re-election.
Bloomberg previously considered running for president in 2016 as an Independent, but ultimately decided to endorse and campaign for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. He floated the possibility of a presidential run in March before bowing out after former Vice President Joe Biden entered the fray.
Bloomberg has not responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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