Did you know that political interests of New York City were absolutely vital to Durham, NC voters in 2011? You didn’t? Well, the voters of Durham probably didn’t know that either.
[Mayor Bill] Bell’s year-end campaign-finance report to the county Board of Elections showed that he banked $4,000 – nearly a third of the $12,550 he raised in 2011 – from one source. …
No one from around here, as it happens: The $4,000 check came from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. …
A Bloomberg aide, Amanda Konstam, on Tuesday said her boss gave to Bell’s campaign because the Durham mayor “is a longtime supporter†of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. …
Bloomberg is a strong proponent of gun control. He offered the donation to Bell because he “supports those who support New York,†Konstam said.
Emphasis added for those of you Durham-area folks who are wondering just why Bloomberg’s spokeswoman believes that supporting New York City is on your city’s political agenda at all.
This is not the first time that Bloomberg has bankrolled his little minion mayors who “support New York” in their states hundreds and thousands of miles away from the Big Apple. His goal is to invest in these guys and hope they run for higher office.
It’s more than just that. I suspect Bloomberg wants to set up lobbying efforts in all state capitols as well.
Most of his little minion mayors are stepping up to state legislatures. So, yes, it’s safe to say he’s looking to create state gun control legislators as well. Only one of his mayors ran for office higher than that in Pennsylvania in 2010.
MAIG Action Fund registered to lobby in Albany back in ’09, although they have yet to hire someone to represent them.