Billionaire activist Tom Steyer has spent millions to push an impeachment message since long before special counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation. But now he's going after Democrats.
In an interview with MSNBC Kasie Hunt, Steyer said that Democrats could impeach President Donald Trump without political consequences because it worked for Republicans in the 1990s. While Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich lost his and his Congress, Republicans continued to regain seats and win the presidency in 2000.
It's for that reason Steyer wants to see Democrats prove to Americans that they're ready to stand up to Trump.
"We should stop worrying about what Republicans think and start thinking what the American people, the overwhelming number of whom agree with us think and make sure that they hear something strong and positive about who we are and the values that we stand for," Steyer said. "That’s what a winning solution is in 2020."
Steyer, however, has begun running anti-Democrat ads attacking the party for not holding a vote for impeachment. It's unknown who is advising Styer, but the billionaire seems to have forgotten that voting for impeachment doesn't mean Trump is thrown out of office. Voting to impeach means the U.S. Senate gets to hold a "mock" trial where they will find Trump did nothing wrong. Holding impeachment proceedings without having the support of the American people is a fool's errand, CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza wrote.
Trump is desperate for impeachment because it would fit his narrative that Democrats are incapable of doing the work of the people, and it wouldn't end in the Democrats' favor.
Instead of Steyer attacking Democrats, he could be working to inform Americans about what the Mueller report said. According to recent polling, the majority of Americans (63 percent) haven't read the report and few know what it actually said. Indeed, many elected leaders haven't read it either. Only 5 percent of Americans said that they had read the Mueller report in its entirety.
If American opinions can be changed to support impeachment, particularly in states where senators are up for reelection in 2020, it might be helpful. Doing a blanket attack and sowing disagreement in the Democratic Party is only fracturing Democrats, while Republicans remain united.
Steyer did say, however, that he doesn't plan on running attack ads against specific Democrats and he hasn't talked to advisors about setting Democrats up with primary opponents.
Watch Steyer below: