Joe Biden has accused billionaire business mogul Elon Musk of trying to “buy” the result of November’s presidential election.
In what was obviously intended as a social media stunt following his latest COVID diagnosis, Biden started out by announcing on the X platform that he was “sick” before following up that his sickness was with Elon Musk.
“I’m sick… of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election,” he wrote. “And if you agree, pitch in here.”
of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election.
And if you agree, pitch in here.https://t.co/V93cYUUFQu
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 17, 2024
The fundraising plea comes after reports that Musk would donate $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super PAC, having publicly endorsed his candidacy following the failed assassination attempt against him.
Also complaining about Musk’s influence is socialist Senator Bernie Sanders, who claimed his donations risked killing off American democracy.
“Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, is donating $45 million a month to the Trump campaign,” he wrote. “If democracy is to survive in the US, we need to overturn Citizens United and move to public funding of elections. We need a government that represents all, not just billionaires.”
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, is donating $45 million a month to the Trump campaign.
If democracy is to survive in the US, we need to overturn Citizens United and move to public funding of elections.
We need a government that represents all, not just billionaires.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 16, 2024
Such complaints are deeply ironic given that Biden and the Democratic Party are largely funded by billionaire donors including LinkedIn founder Reed Hoffman, businessman Michael Bloomberg and the investor George Soros.
Some of the richest Republican donors include the physician Miriam Adelson, the businessman Marc Andreessen and the founder of Home Depot Bernie Marcus.
