Tom Steyer made maximum contributions to the campaigns of three Democratic representatives after each voiced support for an impeachment inquiry.
Before launching a presidential bid in July, Steyer was responsible for bankrolling the biggest impeachment push in the country, and looks likely to make impeachment one of his core issues in the coming months. The billionaire had previously been one of the largest donors in politics, particularly for congressional Democrats. Campaign finance filings for the last fundraising quarter show that Steyer made donations to three members of the House of Representatives who have backed launching an impeachment inquiry.
Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Florida came out in favor of an impeachment inquiry on June 21, posting a news release online and announcing her decision on Twitter. One week later, Steyer donated the maximum $5,600 to her campaign.
New Jersey representative Tom Malinowski came out in favor of an impeachment inquiry in late May, as reported by NBC News. Days before the fundraising quarter closed, Steyer and his wife, Kat Taylor, each contributed the maximum amount of $5,600 to Malinowski's campaign.
Despite the enthusiasm from Steyer, recent polling by the National Republican Congressional Committee in Malinowski's district shows roughly 60 percent of local voters oppose impeachment.
California representative Katie Porter expressed her support for an impeachment inquiry in mid-June. Again on June 28, Steyer and his wife each gave the maximum amount to Porter's campaign committee.
As with Malinowski, the NRCC has released polling showing that impeachment does not appear to be a top priority for her constituents.
"In Porter's district, where Republicans hold a 36-30% registration edge, 59% of the voters don't want to impeach Trump, compared with 33% who favor ousting the president," the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the NRCC polling. "That includes 55% of independent men in a district where nearly a third of the voters are registered as no party preference."
None of the representatives returned requests for comment.
Although the efforts by the political megadonor to push impeachment are ultimately aimed at President Trump, Steyer has often times driven a wedge into the House Democrats and leadership. Steyer ran ads in the districts of powerful House committee chairmen and women, including Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D., NY), in order to pressure them on the impeachment issue.
On Tuesday, Politico published an article quoting numerous Democrats with gripes about Steyer jumping into the presidential race.
"It’s very difficult for me to see the path for Tom Steyer to be a credible candidate," Politico quoted Rep. Don Beyer (D., Va.) as saying. "So yes, I would rather that he spend his money taking back the Virginia House, the Virginia Senate and supporting people who can win."
More than a year before that, Steyer took aim at Beyer right in his own backyard when hosting one of his numerous "Need to Impeach" town halls.
"I mean, the representative of this district, Don Beyer, is not in favor of impeachment, even though I think there are 90,000 people from this district who signed our petition," Steyer said in March of last year in Arlington, Virginia.
"This is a heavily Democratic, progressive district," Steyer continued. "So I would say to you, I don't know that much about congressman Beyer, I'm sure he's a good person. I think you guys should ask him for the reason. I think it's a very legitimate question as constituents to ask, 'If this is the number one issue of the day, what is it about this president that makes you want to put up with this kind of lawlessness for another day?'"
The Steyer campaign did not return request for comment.