Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, a champion of gun control, is spending $4.5 million on advertisements supporting Democrat Katie Hill, who is challenging Republican Steve Knight in California’s 25th congressional district.
The Associated Press reports that Bloomberg’s $4.5 million is part of a $9 million ad buy that also benefits Democrat Harley Rouda, who is challenging Republican Dana Rohrabacher in the 48th district.
Hill styles herself as pro-gun. In an issue statement linked on her website, she says: “As a lifelong gun owner, I am ready to be a sensible voice in the debate around gun violence. I believe that respecting the Second Amendment and advocating for gun safety measures are not mutually exclusive.” Yet Bloomberg’s massive ad buy on her behalf suggests that she would be an aggressive advocate for gun control if elected to Congress with his assistance.
Last month, Bloomberg announced that he would be spending $100 million to support Democrats’ effort to take over the House of Representatives in an effort to advance his agenda. His massive ad buy on Hill’s behalf is a big chunk of that sum.
Ironically, in a debate in Simi Valley, California, on Thursday evening, Hill accused Knight of being funded by special interests who wanted to distort the policy preferences of the district in Washington.
The Los Angeles Times notes: “The closing burst of advertising from Bloomberg was a reminder that Hill, despite her spectacular success in fundraising, still faces a tough fight to dislodge Knight in conservative-leaning suburbs on the northern outskirts of Los Angeles. Bloomberg’s first TV ad for Hill casts her as a champion for veterans in the state’s 25th Congressional District.”
Hill favors the gas tax, among other taxes, and protested the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh — despite being caught on camera making a sex joke at the expense of a female staffer. She also professed ignorance in a previous debate about the Cemez sand and gravel mine, one of the most important issues facing the 25th district.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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