What’s worse than offering cash for endorsements? Not being able to buy endorsements. That may save him from criminal charges. It is not illegal to buy endorsements by contributing money to the endorsee’s campaign fund as long as the contribution is reported to the FEC in its filings. The offers were made by a top Steyer aide. Since no one accepted his money and agreed to endorse him, Steyer is in the clear. Ironically, Steyer is running on a platform that Trump must be impeached because he is corrupt. He is also a big greenie who opposes oil drilling despite the fact that he made his billions investing in oil and gas pipelines.
The money was being offered by Pat Murphy, a former state House speaker who is serving as a top adviser on Steyer’s Iowa campaign. Again, the practice is not illegal as long as it is reported, and we must assume they were going to report the money. However, it does bolster the case for those who claim Steyer is trying to buy the nomination. He is considered a longshot to win the nomination.
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.”
