WASHINGTON — “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic has filed to appear on his first state ballot against President Biden in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary, The Post has learned.
The 60-year-old former private zoo owner, who is campaigning from federal prison, sent a $500 check on Monday to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office in order to appear on the Centennial State’s Super Tuesday ballot.
Exotic, whose real last name is Maldonado, told The Post that he hopes to appeal to rural and libertarian-minded Democrats in the state — with unusual campaign pledges including requiring all federal candidates to spend 30 days in prison before they take office.
“I just signed and notarized my papers for the state of Colorado,” Exotic said in an interview from his prison in Fort Worth, Texas. “So I’m confirmed on that ballot.”
Advertisement
Exotic would be the first openly gay president and the first elected from prison — where he’s serving a 21-year sentence for allegedly scheming to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin and violating wildlife laws.
The big cat enthusiast says the US needs to crack down on public corruption with a 10-year minimum sentence for that offense and has strong words for leaders of both parties.
“Tiger King” star Joe Exotic has filed to run for president in Colorado in 2024 as a Democrat against President Biden.AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File
“If they’re gonna take an oath of office and they’re gonna put us trillions of dollars in debt and they’re going to launder money and take $5 million bribes and all that s–t, why are they off getting the easy train?” Exotic said, referring to allegations that President Biden accepted a $5 million bribe from a Ukrainian businessman while he was vice president.
Exotic isn’t easy on Republican front-runner Donald Trump either — describing his recent criminal charges for hush-money payments and alleged mishandling of classified records as “karma” for not pardoning Exotic when he had the chance. He calls Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the other leading Republican in the race, a “homophobe.”
The quixotic candidacy against Biden, however, is a point of amusement for Trump’s campaign.
Advertisement
Exotic is campaigning from federal prison.Santa Rosa County Jail via AP, File
“Democrat primary voters finally have a ‘Joe’ who is well spoken, projects strength and knows what it’s like to run a business,” senior adviser Jason Miller told The Post. “The problem is that’s Joe Exotic and not Joe Biden.”
The Colorado Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An official at the Colorado Secretary of State’s office said that Exotic’s check had not yet arrived in the mail — with delivery possibly slowed by Thursday’s parade celebrating the NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
Former Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, a Republican, told The Post that state law doesn’t allow parties to block candidates once they’ve cleared the filing requirements for a primary bid.
Exotic criticized Biden for not fulfilling his campaign promises on criminal justice reform.Chris Kleponis – CNP / MEGA
An assistant to Exotic said the check was sent Monday by certified mail and provided The Post with a photo as proof.
“Colorado is going to be my starting ground — for Colorado and Wyoming and New Mexico and Nevada — for [Bureau of Land Management] land issues and rounding up the wild mustangs and the way that Biden is trying to pass a thing now where the tree holders and animal rights people can lease BLM land for 10 years to prevent people from grazing cattle,” said Exotic, whose former zoo was in Oklahoma.
Anti-Trump former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) remains his top pick for a running mate, but the candidate says he’s been spurned.
Advertisement
“I’ve even sent certified letters to Liz asking her,” he said.
Exotic is currently serving a 21-year sentence for allegedly scheming to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin and violating wildlife laws.Schreibvogel/LC Coroner/Splash
“That’s one thing about politicians — Biden, on the campaign trail, when he was running for president, promised criminal justice reform and he ain’t done s–t,” Exotic said. “Liz Cheney got on world television during the January 6 hearings and said she would do anything she could to prevent Trump from being in the Oval Office. Well, I’m offering her that position to do anything possible.”
Exotic said he’s raised between $8,000 and $10,000 for his candidacy — enough to buy t-shirts and bumper stickers.
One of his “very smart” friends from prison — Casey Jobe, 40 — will serve as campaign manager once he’s released this month after helping strategize behind bars for nearly a year, the candidate said.
Exotic said he would be willing to pardon former President Trump if convicted of any of his recent charges.Photo by Peter Foley/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“He’s going to start state by state and see if we can’t get most of these states all confirmed, and then I’ll give it my best shot,” Exotic said.
The former zookeeper is appealing his conviction and says that Netflix’s “Tiger King 2” series proved he was innocent of hiring Alan Glover to murder Baskin. He’s awaiting a decision on a motion for a new trial. Prosecutors have said Exotic’s own rants against Baskin showed he was guilty.
Exotic said he’s willing to pardon either Trump or Biden if they end up in prison for mishandling classified documents or other alleged crimes — but not until they served 30 days inside to get a taste of the system.
Advertisement
“I wouldn’t pardon [Trump] on my first day of office. I would make him spend 30 days in solitary confinement and then I would pardon him, so he can get a [taste] of what kind of system he was in charge of,” he said, adding the standard would “absolutely” apply to Biden as well.
“Karma comes full circle and I don’t think he’s seen it all yet,” Exotic said of Trump, who publicly mused about giving a pardon to the zookeeper while in office.
“I think they’re going to get him in Georgia, too. If he would have pardoned me like he kept teasing me for a year, if he would have pardoned me before the election, he wouldn’t need to be on the phone begging for 11,000 votes in Georgia.”
A World War II soldier was finally brought back home to Colorado 80 years after he was killed in combat overseas.
Staff Sgt. Harold Schafer was buried at Denvers’ Fort Logan National Cemetery Monday morning with a full military honors service — complete with bagpipes and a 21-gun salute — after he was killed while fighting in Germany in 1944. He was 28 years old.
The young soldier joined the Army in 1943 and was shipped to Europe the following year as part of the 90th Infantry Division. His unit crossed the Saar River on Dec. 6, 1944, and attempted to capture and hold the towns of Pachten and Dillingen, Germany, according to the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
Staff Sgt. Harold Schafer was buried at Denvers’ Fort Logan National Cemetery Monday morning with a full after he was killed while fighting in Germany in 1944. DPAA
Four days later, Schafer was “mortally wounded” by machine gun fire. His fellow servicemen were unable to recover his body and those of other fallen soldiers before relocating to a safe area, according to the agency.
Advertisement
After the war, the American Graves Registration Command conducted several investigations in the Pachten-Dillingen area from 1946 to 1950, recovering and identifying bodies of servicemen from Schater’s division who had been buried at a civilian cemetery in Reimsbach, Germany.
But they were unable to match the young Denver soldier with a body and his remains wouldn’t be identified until many years later on Sept. 26, 2023, the agency reported.
Schafer was reportedly killed in a foxhole while trying to help a fellow soldier, CBS News reported.
Schafer was finally brought back home to Colorado 80 years after he was killed in combat overseas. CBS NewsMonday’s service brought his family both relief and peace as they finally got to honor her uncle and lay him to rest. CBS NewsAfter the war, the American Graves Registration Command conducted several investigations in the Pachten-Dillingen area from 1946 to 1950, recovering and identifying bodies of servicemen from Schater’s division who had been buried at a civilian cemetery in Reimsbach, Germany. DPAA
“It was just heartbreaking, especially to my grandma,” Barb Bernhard, Schafer’s niece, told the news station of his death. “My grandma was never the same.”
The family’s pain was only exacerbated by the reality that they never got to bury Schafer’s body.
Advertisement
The identification so many years later was a welcome surprise.
“I was just so happy and amazed,” Bernhardt said to CBS.
She said Monday’s service brought her family both relief and peace as they finally got to honor her uncle and lay him to rest.
“Grandma, we got him home. He’s home. It’s all you ever wanted was to have him home,” Bernhardt said.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded for Colorado Rockies pitcher Jalen Beeks.
The Pirates traded Double-A pitcher Luis Peralta to the Rockies for Beeks, a left-handed relief pitcher, the team announced. MLB insider Mark Feinsand first reported the news.
The 31-year-old Beeks has been a bullpen arm for the Rockies this season. In 49 1/3 innings, Beeks has a 4.74 ERA, nine saves and five holds. He has a 1.36 WHIP in 45 appearances and will add depth to the Pirates’ bullpen.
He started 15 games in 2022 and 2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays but has not recorded a start in 2024.
Beeks was a 12th-round pick in the 2014 draft by the Boston Red Sox. He signed a one-year deal before the season with the Rockies.
Advertisement
According to Baseball America, Peralta was Pittsburgh’s No. 24 prospect. He started the year unranked, Baseball America said.
Earlier on Monday, the Pirates traded pitcher Quinn Priester to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for infield prospect Nick Yorke.
Michael Guise
Advertisement
Michael Guise is a web producer for CBS Pittsburgh who has worked for KDKA-TV since 2019.
Some residents in Loveland, Colorado, received a mandatory evacuation order from NOCO Alert, the city’s emergency notification system, on Monday afternoon after a wildfire ignited in Larimer County.
The Alexander Mountain Fire is estimated to be around 800 acres according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. Flames were being fought by Larimer County Emergency Services, Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and several partner agencies. The alert system said that mandatory evacuations were in place from Drake to Dam Store along Highway 34 including Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain.
Voluntary evacuations were in place for Waltonia Road, Eden Valley to Sunrise Ranch, and Sylvan Dale to Ellis Ranch. Residents were urged to gather essential items and prepare to leave.
This is a developing story and it will be updated as more information becomes available.
Advertisement
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.