Billionaire Democratic Party financier and environmental activist Tom Steyer says his statewide media campaign calling for the impeachment of President Trump is an "incredibly sober and serious mission" and that it is not designed to promote himself as a possible statewide candidate for office.
It has been estimated that Steyer is spending over $10 million on the television ads which seek signatures demanding the indictment of the President by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Steyer's comments aired Sunday morning on NBC Los Angeles and its "News Conference" program.
When asked why he wasn't seeking to convince House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other leading Democrats to support Impeachment, which they currently oppose, Steyer insisted his was an effort at building a grassroots movement and not meant to be "an inside Washington power play."
Some political experts believe the ad buy is an effort to boost Steyer's profile among voters prior to announcing for either Governor or the US Senate. While the San Francisco businessman said he had "not ruled out" a statewide campaign he did draw a distinction between himself and incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein over comments Feinstein made in August. The Senator had said it was her hope Mr. Trump could eventually become a "good President" and that voters needed to have some "patience" with the administration.
Steyer said he "strongly disagreed" with the remarks.
"I think Senator Feinstein has to make her own judgments about what is right and what is wrong," he said on the program.
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"But what we know is that we are giving an opportunity for Americans to raise their voice ... this President scares them, they don’t trust him and they want him out."
