Sanders spokeswoman says she ‘misspoke’ when she claimed Bloomberg had heart attack

A spokeswoman for Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign said Wednesday she “misspoke” when she claimed Sanders’s primary opponent former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg has had a heart attack. 

“I mispoke when I said Bloomberg had a heart attack,” Sanders spokeswoman Briahna Joy Gray tweeted Wednesday, after making the comments on CNN’s “New Day” earlier that morning.

“Rather, he underwent the same stent procedure as Bernie. Bernie released 3 detailed medical reports in December — just like the other candidates.”

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.

— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) February 19, 2020

Gray followed up with a link to a New York Times article from 2007 which reported Bloomberg had surgery to have two stents implanted in a coronary artery because of a blockage in his heart in 2001 before he was elected mayor of New York City. Bloomberg served as mayor of New York for three terms.  

There is no evidence that Bloomberg, 78, has suffered a heart attack. 

Bloomberg’s campaign advisor Tim O’Brien quickly called out Gray on Wednesday for what he said was a “Trumpy lie,” adding in a tweet that Bloomberg “has *never* had a heart attack.” 

Sanders, who is also 78, had a heart attack in October.

He said at a CNN town hall Tuesday night he will not release any more medical records during his presidential bid, arguing the three letters from doctors he has released so far are sufficient. 

Gray similarly defended the campaign’s decision not to release additional medical records in her CNN interview Wednesday morning. 

“I think the American people deserve to know exactly as much as every other candidate has released in this race currently and historically,” she said.

JUST NOW: Press Sec for @BernieSanders equates questions on his medical records to “smear” campaign. & claims @MikeBloomberg has “suffered heart attacks.”

Bloomberg had an irregular heartbeat & stents. But I’ve seen no record of attack. Checking now.pic.twitter.com/iW5Ag2xbUt

— John Berman (@JohnBerman) February 19, 2020

She dismissed the calls for additional records to be released as “reminiscent of some of the smear, kind of skepticism campaigns” run in the past against candidates that question “where they’re from” and “aspects of their lineage.”