Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic from Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’, is claiming that his 2024 presidential run is gaining steam. His campaign announced on Tuesday that they’ve raised the necessary funds to get on the ticket in New Hampshire.
Despite being in prison at the Fort Worth Medical Center in Texas, Joe Exotic, 60, plans to make history with his grassroots presidential campaign. He was convicted in 2019 of animal abuse charges and for hiring a hitman to kill Carole Baskin, a rival in the world of big cats. Baskin runs Big Cat Rescue, which has been announced to close this year.
Exotic’s 22-year sentence was handed down in January 2020, just before ‘Tiger King’ became a sensation on Netflix at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. His campaign slogan is “What do you have to lose?”
Despite unsuccessful attempts to gain a pardon from then-President Donald Trump, Exotic continues to assert his innocence. On his campaign website, he wrote, “The only thing I did was put five very old, crippled tigers to sleep in the most humane way possible and it was approved by my USDA Inspector.”
This isn’t Exotic’s first venture into politics. He ran for Oklahoma governor as a Libertarian in 2018 and is now running for the presidency as a Democrat. His campaign indicates that Louisiana is next on their list.
It’s crucial to remember that while his campaign might be drawing attention, it’s essential to consider the convictions and controversies surrounding the candidate. The world of politics is not a reality show and the potential consequences are very real.