Michael Bloomberg's position on the Central Park Five controversy.

[Skya Rhen]

A reporter from CBS questioned Bloomberg about his opinion and praise of city prosecutors and the NYPD “acted in good faith” and whether or not he feels differently now that Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise have since become “The Exonerated Five.”

“I really have no idea,” Bloomberg said. “I’ve read in the paper, I’ve been away from government for a long time. So apparently, the courts have ruled that they did not commit it, commit a crime, and that’s the final word and we just have to accept that. It isn’t a question of what anybody believes.”


After being further pressed on the issue, Bloomberg continued, “There was an awful lot of evidence presented at that time that they were involved. There’s been questions since then about the quality of that evidence. And so it’s, I’ve been away from it for so long, I just really can’t respond because I just don’t remember.” He then concluded, “There’s been plenty written about it and I suggest you go and read some of that. Next question...”

As reported by CBS:

All five men had their convictions vacated in 2002. During the Bloomberg administration, they filed a civil rights lawsuit against New York City, alleging malicious prosecution, racial discrimination and emotional distress. The Bloomberg administration spent nearly $6 million fighting the case over a decade, arguing that the authorities at the time had good cause and acted in good faith.

In 2014, less than a year after Bloomberg left office, New York City and the Central Park Five agreed to a $41 million settlement. Under the terms of the agreement, the city continued to maintain there was no wrongdoing by police or prosecutors in the case.




https://www.theroot.com/bloomberg-plays-clueless-when-questioned-about-central-1840759750

[Tiggeroshii]

1. Thanks for the post, Skya Rhen

Kick and Recommended!

[redqueen]

2. "Acted in good faith"

[BusyBeingBest]

3. His answer seems pretty appropriate for a public official.

Am I missing something?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

5. Since we know it's bullshit

and it was pretty clear that the government at the time was gunning for these kids with zero evidence, he might want to own up to that.

Or he could just double down. I guess that apparently works, too.

[BusyBeingBest]

9. Well, as I'm not well-versed in the court case, I'm inclined to agree with you.

[Skya Rhen]

7. By choice...

Further, according to the article, Bloomberg fought paying the innocent men restitution for being wronged. It was DeBlasio who was determined to pay them, less than a year after Bloomberg left office.

[Docreed2003]

15. +1. And Bloomberg has never addressed why he refused to pay restitution

[uponit7771]

21. omfg, why is Mike running for prez in the democratic party ?!

[customerserviceguy]

28. For the same reason

he ran as a Republicon in the NYC mayoral race, because he thinks he can get an advantage by doing so.

[uponit7771]

19. No it does NOT ... he's at best tone deaf and looking pretty antagonistic against blacks

... not Trump level racist, that's hard to beat, but at best he's tone deaf.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. He knows better.

[cherryinpa]

4. Disgusting

Bloombergs bazillions have mesmerized normally balanced Democrats.

Its so frustrating.

Biden, Klobuchar and Warren who have earned their rights to the nomination are sacrificed in return for the Republican messiah.

In Godfather II Archbishop Gilday says

"In today's world, the power to absolve debt is greater than the power of forgiveness."

[customerserviceguy]

29. Exactly

If anyone thinks that it takes a billionaire to beat Trump, why not Steyer? At least he hasn't spent his money keeping Moscow Mitch as Senate Majority Leader.

Steyer stands a shot at being able to fill any vacuum left by a potentially shrinking Biden candidacy in SC. He doesn't have a past on racial issues to walk back, apologize for, or explain away.

[bluewater]

6. Ouch. Very bad look for Bloomberg.

[Skya Rhen]

8. But he's rich and we should swoon over him because only he can fix it.

[bluewater]

12. Skya, I would choose Biden over Bloomberg any day of the week.

Skya, we differ over preferred candidates...

But we both clearly see that Bloomberg has a HUGE race relations problem that would doom him in the General Election.

If the choice come down to either Biden or Bloomberg, I would, as anyone concerned with social justice would, choose Biden over Bloomberg in a heartbeat.

Keep fighting the good fight against racism and people who would excuse racism.

[totodeinhere]

26. One of many bad looks for stop and frisk Mike. n/t

[Nanjeanne]

10. As a life long Democrat, a liberal Jew from NYC, a progressive from a union family - the idea that

people are OK with Michael Bloomberg as the standard bearer - the face of the Democratic Party - fills me with sadness.

Sexist, racist, anti-union, anti POC, stop and frisk advocate, supporter of Simpson Bowles cat food commission, on record as opposing minimum wage, supporter of fingerprinting people on assistance, anti-Muslim, supporter of Bush, praiser of the "war on terrorism" and speaker at RNC. A man who in 2018 at the International Monetary Fund meeting said “Some people say, well, taxes are regressive. But, in this case, yes they are. That’s the good thing about them because the problem is in people that don’t have a lot of money and so, higher taxes should have a bigger impact on how they deal with themselves.” A man who oversaw the rise of homelessness under his watch.

No - I cannot see this man leading what I consider to be the Democratic Party - a party of FDR, JFK, LBJ, Obama. It hurts me to the core.

[Garrett78]

16. It really is one of the saddest things I've witnessed on DU, and that's saying something.

Bloomberg is a disaster. People should be absolutely embarrassed to be supporting him.

[totodeinhere]

27. I agree. I am very disappointed in the amount of support that Bloomberg seems to be getting

at DU.

[uponit7771]

22. omg, the media is hoisting another one on us ... just damn

[emmaverybo]

31. +1000

[Clash City Rocker]

11. Wow. If he gets the nomination, I strongly recommend an African American running mate

The question is whether POC will vote for him in enough numbers for him the get said nomination.

I get the feeling he’s tone deaf to the needs of minorities, albeit maybe not truly racist. Wealthy people often lack empathy and compassion, which are very important qualities for a good leader. This is concerning.

[uponit7771]

18. THIS !!!!

[Demsrule86]

14. SKya...I want Biden to be the nominee...but if Biden fails...and I think he still will win. But if

the unthinkable happens...we can either lose with Sanders or win with Bloomberg. He is not a perfect candidate to say the least...but Sanders could lose the houseas well as the presidency...and Trump has to be stopped. Consider the judges Bloomberg would appoint who would not take people's rights away like Dumpy's...if we win the Senate back. I will vote for Bloomberg if it is between him and Sanders...Trump must not be allowed to win.

[uponit7771]

17. FUCKIN WOW !!! Why is this guy running in the democratic party for president ?! He can donate

... all he wants but he's got that tinge of antagonism against PoC with him.

He's no Trump level racist but that's not sayin much

[BeyondGeography]

23. The NYPD has a well-established tradition of extracting false confessions from minority youth

The Central Park Five case eg was basically a re-run of another highly-publicized case, George Whitmore and the Career Girl Murders of 1963. Bloomberg's indifference masquerading as ignorance speaks volumes.

[BKDem]

24. I probably won't like a Bloomberg presidency.

But I doubt I'd survive a second term of Trump.

[emmaverybo]

32. He still believed they were guilty. He wanted to. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is

a duck. I am a never-Bloomberg.

[lunasun]

33. Twitter clip

Link to tweet

?s=21


None of the suspects' DNA matched the DNA collected from the crime scene (two semen samples that both belonged to one unidentified man)
No substantive physical evidence connected any of the five teenagers to the crime and years later a person serving a life sentence for rape matched the DNA and confessed he did it alone was my understanding . The biggest evidence was forced confessions

Saying if the courts ruled that way ....
And go read about it yourself is not a good answer imo

[denem]

34. Nobody cares - not if he can beat trump.

That's what Biden supporters have preached for almost a year. I'm thinking you are about to be on the receiving end of some of your own medicine.

Inside Mike Bloomberg's big play for black voters
“Who can beat Donald Trump? That’s what people care about."
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/inside-mike-bloombergs-big-play-for-black-voters