This is the year where things really start to get exciting regarding the presidential election. People start announcing their bids during the year prior to the actual election, which takes place just next year (thank God). We all know that President Trump is running once again and we know that there are several others who have tossed their names into the hat as well like Marianne Williamson and Nikki Haley. But by far, the most entertaining bid just came in this week.

Joseph Maldonado-Passage aka Joe Exotic, the former zookeeper and star of the hit Netflix documentary series “Tiger King”, has announced his campaign for President of the United States in 2024. Despite the fact that he is currently serving a 21-year sentence in federal prison for a murder-for-hire plot targeting big-cat activist Carole Baskin – though this sentence was reduced by one year due to a cancer diagnosis – Maldonado-Passage still believes he has what it takes to represent Americans on a national level.

In a statement released via his own website, Joe Exotic maintained that running for office from prison is within his Constitutional rights and attributed his incarceration to “corruption in the Department of Justice”. Further, he explained that he felt uniquely equipped to understand and fight for Americans in need as he himself had been battling adversity all his life. Exotic also mentioned his willingness to look past people’s mistakes, stating that it should not prevent him from being their voice.

This isn’t the first time an individual has pursued a presidential campaign while behind bars – In 1920 Eugene V. Debs gained nearly a million votes despite being incarcerated at Atlanta Federal Penitentiary due to speaking out against the draft during World War I. This demonstrates an interesting pattern of individuals using their position and platform to advocate on behalf of those who are unable to do so themselves.