AP Exclusive: Steyer aide offered money for endorsements

[demmiblue]

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A top aide to Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer in Iowa has privately offered campaign contributions to local politicians in exchange for endorsing his White House bid, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the conversations.

The overtures from Pat Murphy, a former state House speaker who is serving as a top adviser on Steyer’s Iowa campaign, aren’t illegal — though payments for endorsements would violate campaign finance laws if not disclosed. There’s no evidence that any Iowans accepted the offer or received contributions from Steyer’s campaign as compensation for their backing.

But the proposals could revive criticism that the billionaire Steyer is trying to buy his way into the White House. Several state lawmakers and political candidates said they were surprised Steyer’s campaign would think he could buy their support.

Tom Courtney, a former Democratic state senator from southeastern Iowa who’s running for reelection to his old seat, told The Associated Press the financial offer “left a bad taste in my mouth.”

https://apnews.com/4f024bbad09c4e0f97005376f0614377

[Mike 03]

1. Uggg. Not a good look.

Disclosure: I donated to Steyer, but not much.

[oldsoftie]

2. Doesnt matter how many people he pays, he'll never top 10%

[redqueen]

3. How does this guy even have supporters? nt

[NurseJackie]

11. I often ask myself the same question.

[redqueen]

14. When I saw your subject line on my "My Posts" page

I totally expected the body of your message to say, 'About Andrew Yang!"

[NurseJackie]

17. Ha! That's funny!

It does sound like one of my wise-cracks!

Yang isn't my choice, but I like listening to him. His future in the party is a bright one. --- On Steyer, however, we are in complete agreement. It seems to be more of a vanity thing, or just a desire to guide/control the discussion. I think even HE knows he has zero chance of becoming our party's nominee.

[redqueen]

18. It woulda been a good line!

And glad to know we're pretty much all in agreement about Steyer. Ugh

[comradebillyboy]

4. On top of Steyer's campaign attempting to steal Harris data files

this is starting to look like a very unfortunate trend. Steyer is just shooting himself in the foot every day now.

[HerbChestnut]

5. Gee, who would have thought a billionaire would try to buy his way into office?

[NurseJackie]

12. I wonder how many houses he owns.

[Indykatie]

6. This Fool Needs to Leave the Race...Like Yesterday.

[highplainsdem]

7. Wow.

[dalton99a]

8. Billionaires think they own the world.

[tblue37]

9. Unfortunately, they kinda do. nt

[BeyondGeography]

10. I laughed

Ruefully.

[dalton99a]

13. We don't have to accept our fates.

[backtoblue]

16. +1

[EveHammond13]

15. is the Steyer campaign having an ethics melt-down?? what is going on

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. Not very smart