Former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg faced criticism from Flint, Michigan, water advocates who said that the billionaire has a lack of understanding of problems in their city after his campaign was confronted with "EAT THE RICH" sentiment.

The people of Flint, Michigan, a population with more than 100,000 people who were in a state of emergency because of lead contamination in the city's drinking water supply, called out Bloomberg on Monday.

The former mayor, in the past, has donated to former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who is thought to be responsible for Flint's water crisis, reports Mediaite.

Oddly enough, instead of owning up to his involvement in the crisis, albeit indirectly, Bloomberg's social media team on Twitter, which he invested millions of dollars into, deflected the issue behind the "Eat The Rich" slogan directed at his campaign. The candidate's campaign nonchalantly tweeted that "America deserves better."

“Eat the Rich”
Our office in Flint, MI

America deserves better. pic.twitter.com/ar5jKPmIJs

— Team Bloomberg (@Mike2020) February 24, 2020

Eat The Rich is a slogan that came from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French social theorist, according to GQ.

Bloomberg's campaign believes Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign, whose candidate is the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, is partly to blame for his supporters' behavior.

“[These acts of vandalism echoe] language from the Sanders campaign and its supporters," Bloomberg Campaign Manager Kevin Sheekey told M Live. "Fortunately, no one has been injured. But this needs to end before someone gets hurt.”

Sheekey followed his statements by comparing Sanders' rhetoric for a middle-class revolution to Trump's hate speech, saying, “We call on Bernie Sanders to immediately condemn these attacks and for his campaign to end the Trump-like rhetoric that is clearly encouraging his supporters to engage in behavior that has no place in our politics.”

Local Flint residents and supporters criticized him on social media for his condemnation of the message.

Michael Bloomberg PAC backing Michigan ads for Gov. Rick Snyder re-election bid https://t.co/lSfP6LPDb5

— ????bloomberg is a racist (@maryjanebern) February 24, 2020

#EatTheRich
pic.twitter.com/h0GoUfTCFL

— #PresidentSanders???? ????????????????????????✂️???????? (@dawnsaffron) February 24, 2020

pic.twitter.com/dCC90oPEVr

— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) February 24, 2020

the money burned on this campaign could’ve replaced the pipes that are poisoning the people of flint.

— maybe: diane (@dianelyssa) February 24, 2020

the money burned on this campaign could’ve replaced the pipes that are poisoning the people of flint.

— maybe: diane (@dianelyssa) February 24, 2020

There were several acts of vandalism at Bloomberg's offices throughout Michigan, including "Corporate Pig" graffitied on his office in Ann Arbor.

“Corporate Pig”
Our office in Ann Arbor, MI

America deserves better. pic.twitter.com/kIFallDDHs

— Team Bloomberg (@Mike2020) February 24, 2020

Mari Copeny, a 12-year-old that goes by the name Little Miss Flint, asked Bloomberg to donate to her cause to provide clean water in Flint.

Hey @MikeBloomberg
@Mike2020 I asked you a question. You literally blowing millions on advertising. Why not help me help others now with a small portion of that money. #DemDebate2020
https://t.co/ARPZhD0JxH

— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) February 26, 2020

She has been fighting to ensure her community gets access to clean and safe water since she was 8 years old, according to her official website.

Hey @MikeBloomberg
@Mike2020 I asked you a question. You literally blowing millions on advertising. Why not help me help others now with a small portion of that money. #DemDebate2020
https://t.co/ARPZhD0JxH

— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) February 26, 2020

Flint is trending.
The water crisis is not over.
But Flint is not the only community with toxic water.
Its a nationwide epidemic.
And yet we have a billionaire presidential candidate upset about a poster on his window. #Priorities
#EatTheRich
#ThisIsAmerica
pic.twitter.com/IvHDXEZ8Vg

— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) February 25, 2020

With the help of the water filtration company, Hydroviv, Mari, as of reporting now, is only less than $50K short of her $200,000 donation goal on GoFundMe.

Mari's campaign started on August 11, 2019 and has since received hundreds of donations from both public and private users.

The campaign has reached two initial goals: In September, Little Miss Flint hit her initial goal of $100,000, and again, she reached more than $150,000.

In a guesstimation, the average donation that Little Miss Flint received is between $20 and $30, though some have donated upwards of $100 or more to the cause.

EAT THE RICH

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