Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign issued a blistering rebuke to Bernie Sanders’s team after the Vermont senator’s top spokeswoman claimed Bloomberg suffered heart attacks.
Briahna Joy Gray, the national press secretary for Sanders’s presidential campaign, alleged the former New York City mayor had a heart attack during a Wednesday morning appearance on CNN while addressing the backlash to Sanders saying he had no plans to release additional medical information after suffering a heart attack in October.
Bloomberg campaign manager Kevin Sheekey told the Washington Examiner that the Sanders team “is spreading an absolute lie that Mike had heart attacks. It’s completely false.”
Sheekey did note that Bloomberg did have two stents implanted in a coronary artery after a blockage in his heart two decades ago.
“The truth is: After a positive stress test in his doctor’s office at Johns Hopkins University in 2000, Mike had two coronary stents placed. He quickly told the FAA, consistent with the rules for any pilot, and this information has been public for years. The Bloomberg 2020 campaign released more information about his outstanding health soon after he entered the race,” he added.
Sheekey also took a shot at how Sanders and his campaign handled his heart attack in October, saying that “he didn’t tell the public for days, and the full details have never been released.”
A day earlier, Sanders faced questions about his health and whether he would release additional medical information during a town hall on CNN. He noted that he’s released letters from three doctors all saying he was in good health, but when he was pushed on the issue of subsequent documentation, he said he doesn’t think he or his campaign will release anything more.
Gray argued in her appearance on the network that it was unfair that Sanders was being asked these questions while Bloomberg was not facing similar scrutiny, which is when she then claimed the former mayor also suffered a heart attack.
She later clarified on Twitter, writing: “I mispoke when I said Bloomberg had a heart attack. Rather, he underwent the same stent procedure as Bernie. Bernie released 3 detailed medical reports in December — just like the other candidates.”
Bloomberg and Sanders will face off on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday evening in Nevada. The Nevada caucuses are set for Saturday.
Gray’s inaccurate statement about Bloomberg’s health came a day after she made a different inaccurate claim about the mayor. On a Tuesday appearance on CNN, she claimed that Bloomberg has been accused of sexual assault 64 times. After the interview, she once again corrected herself on social media, saying that she misspoke and is “more than happy to correct it. It’s 64 sexual harassment allegations. My sincerest apologies.”
The Sanders campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
