Home Featured As Leading Democrats Sour on Tom Steyer’s Money, Rep. Harley Rouda Finds Himself with his Hand in the Cookie Jar

As Leading Democrats Sour on Tom Steyer’s Money, Rep. Harley Rouda Finds Himself with his Hand in the Cookie Jar

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November 11, 2019March 10, 2022
As Leading Democrats Sour on Tom Steyer’s Money, Rep. Harley Rouda Finds Himself with his Hand in the Cookie Jar

Far-left Billionaire and fledgling Presidential candidate Tom Steyer is in the news as outlets like Politico are reporting that Steyer for President campaign staffers have been caught reaching out to local candidates offering money for endorsements.  The overtures, which Steyer denies direct knowledge or approval of, have now happened in two different states and the quid pro quo offers have been made by two different staffers.

Campaign contributions in exchange for endorsements aren’t illegal as long as they are disclosed as such in public filings, but the practice is considered unethical by many. Steyer’s political rivals, including Senators Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders, have publicly criticized Steyer over the allegations.

However, this isn’t Steyer’s first foray into using his billionaire bank account in a carrot and stick strategy bordering on quid pro quo.

In October 2017, Tom Steyer launched a political action committee (PAC) called “Need to Impeach”.  As the name would suggest, Need to Impeach PAC set out to leverage Steyer’s money to influence, persuade and at times coerce local candidates for Congress to support impeaching the President.

While some candidates resisted the PAC’s goal so early into a Trump Presidency, candidates like Rep. Harley Rouda saw an opportunity.

Rouda, stuck in a tough Primary Election where his liberal bonafides were in question, announced zealous support for impeachment and even tagged Steyer in public posts just to make sure the billionaire saw that Rouda was ready and willing to impeach the President immediately, or “now” to use Rouda’s words.

Need to Impeach, would go on to play big in the 2018 cycle, spending $4,482,302 on campaign mail, $4,354,160 on web ads and $2,427,422 on unspecified media buys. All told, Steyer would spend $123 million on the 2018 election cycle helping candidates like Rep. Harley Rouda win election.

After the 2018 Primary, in order to appeal to Orange County’s less liberal voters, Rouda would go on to quietly rescind his support for impeachment.  After winning the race in 2018 and taking his seat in Congress, Rouda withheld his support for impeachment as though he had never given it in the first place.

Months of Rouda dipping his toe in the water on impeachment later, Rep. Harley Rouda is now a full-throated supporter of impeachment the President.  He is also the fortunate recipient of: $26,078 from Schiff Hold the House PAC and thousands more in campaign cash from Steyer and his affiliates.

So what’s the difference legally versus ethically?  In one scenario, a billionaire named Tom Steyer offers thousands and thousands of dollars in political support in return for Rouda’s support for his campaign for impeachment.  In the other scenario, a billionaire named Tom Steyer offers thousands and thousands of dollars in return for political endorsements for his campaign to unseat the President.

Legally, and ironically for a candidate that claims to want to get the corrosive influence of big money out of politics, Rouda’s on ever-changing position and ability to raise big funds off it are perfectly legal from a cursory view.

Ethically… we’re left with only with a quote from American political satirist P.J. O’Rourke:

“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought or sold are legislators.”

– P. J. O’Rourke

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