#1 Super PAC Spender Tom Steyer Calls Money “A Significant Threat To Our Democracy”

The Washington Post’s recently published exposé on 10 “mega-donors” put Tom Steyer at the top of the list, yet he still rails against money in politics and uses his wealth to buy access 

October 6, 2016

The Washington Post recently published an exposé on 10 “mega-donors” putting hundreds of millions of dollars into super PACs this cycle.

To no one’s surprise, Tom Steyer is #1:

And hedge fund founder Tom Steyer, who had given $38 million through August to groups working to mobilize young voters, Latinos and union members, said last month that he was putting in at least $15 million more.

Steyer, though, distinguishes himself from other big donors by making the incredible claim that he wants money out of politics:

In an interview with The Post, the billionaire environmentalist — who ranks as the biggest super PAC donor of the cycle so far — called Citizens United a “terrible decision.” And he said he agrees with those who believe “money is corrupting our politics.”

 “I think it’s actually a significant threat to our democracy if our citizens don’t believe that our democracy is fair and it plays to special interests,” Steyer said.

Steyer fails to mention – or, perhaps, to realize – that he is a special interest.

Steyer experienced firsthand how his money bought him access to California’s legislators as they passed a greenhouse gas emissions law in August. Even his own friends suspect he’s up to something in his home state – most likely a gubernatorial run – “because of the spending.”

It’s not the first time Steyer has acted delusional about his big spending. Last month, he referred to himself as a David in a David and Goliath tale:

STEYER: I see this as a David and Goliath situation. They’ve always had so much more money. They’ve always been so capable of building influence around the country through money. Regardless of what I do, or what Democrats do, we’re gonna get outspent by a lot. That’s just a fact.

The response he received from the radio host who was interviewing him? “But you do have a billion-and-a-half dollars. That’s an interesting David.”