Steyer mortgages $30M in quest to flip the House

WASHINGTON — Democratic megadonor Tom Steyer, who is frequently seen on TV ads advocating for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, announced Monday that he will donate $30 million to boost the youth vote in an effort to flip the House for Democrats.

Steyer also told reporters he had purchased 535 copies of “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” and said he would deliver copies of the new book, which has infuriated the president, to every member of Congress.

Steyer, 60, said that the impeachment of Trump “is the struggle of our time” and that he believed he could do the most good for America by concentrating on removing Trump from the White House. He already has spent $20 million to launch the Need to Impeach campaign.

The D.C. announcement touched off speculation that Steyer, who spent close to $90 million in 2016 on progressive campaigns, is thinking of running for president in 2020.

A prominent TV ad campaign starring Steyer has advocated impeachment and aired a “demand that elected officials take a stand on impeachment.”

Steyer described his decision to bankroll youth organizing in 10 states as “doubling down on Need to Impeach.”

On Twitter, David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, dismissed the impeachment campaign as “a vanity project” and “unhelpful.”

Other top Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, made no secret of their disapproval of pro-impeachment efforts in progressive corners. When the House voted on an impeachment measure in December, it tanked in a 364-58 vote. There are 193 Democrats in the House.

California Democratic strategist Dan Newman noted that a number of Democratic donors “are focusing on impeachment.” Steyer’s Need to Impeach campaign may irk the likes of Pelosi, Newman said, but for party leaders, what’s not to like about spending millions to help Democrats win House seats?

“Flipping the House could literally be de facto impeachment,” Newman added.

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal. com or 202-662-7391. Follow @ Debrajsaunders on Twitter.