Inside the Beltway: Tom Steyer leads the impeachment outcry

NEWS AND OPINION:

The jubilant news media has gone impeachment crazy, the non-stop, highly speculative coverage fueled by evolving legal developments in President Trump’s world. One progressive billionaire, meanwhile, is leading his own charge. Tom Steyer — who has already founded a political interest group called Need to Impeach — is donating $110 million to the midterm elections, hoping to ensure Democrats win back the House and impeach Mr. Trump. Ironically, establishment Democrats fear such talk will only infuriate loyal Trump voters who will turn out in droves on Nov. 6 to protect their hero.

Mr. Steyer, however, is currently on a 30-city tour across the nation, suggesting the president’s impeachment would be a “patriotic” act and calling attention to a public petition calling for just that. He is also producing new broadcast spots for a $10 million national ad buy and additional voter outreach.

“Mr. Trump has committed nine impeachable offenses. The evidence continues to mount up. The question is when Congress will pay attention. We need to get rid of this lawless president,” Mr. Steyer says in an introductory video, echoing the mission statement of his organization, which claims a membership of 5.6 million.

“What are we waiting for? How much information do you need? If the level of corruption isn’t too much for you, how many laws does he have to break before you decide he has to go?” Mr. Steyer told Variety earlier this week.

His impeachment zeal is not universal, however.

“The plan will set Steyer at odds with the vast majority of Democratic leaders and strategists, who consider an impeachment push risky now as the party tries to flip at least 23 GOP-held House seats and take control of the chamber. Many Democrats worry that talk of removing Trump will motivate Republicans in swing districts, where the minority party hopes to capitalize on a voter enthusiasm advantage in November,” writes CNBC analyst Jacob Pramuk.

“Steyer’s intense focus on growing his petition and pressuring Democrats to seek impeachment has put him on a collision course with the party’s establishment. Democratic leaders consider his campaign a distraction that could backfire, boosting GOP turnout and jeopardizing their efforts to win control of Congress,” agrees Bloomberg reporter Arit John.

And of course all of this effort points to 2020.

Mr. Steyer has already told C-SPAN, NBC News, The Atlantic and other news organizations that he has not “ruled out” a run for president, making him just the latest billionaire mulling a run for the highest office in the land. Former Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and maybe even former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg also are said to have a watchful eye on the next White House bout.

THROWING AROUND THE ’I’ WORD

CNN and MSNBC lead impeachment obsession on cable news according to a Media Research Center study which tracked coverage on both networks from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.

“Liberal cable news outlets evidently had their own fairy tale ending in mind when former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations: impeachment. On Wednesday, CNN and MSNBC reporters, anchors and paid contributors used the word ’impeachment’ an absurd 222 times in just 18 hours,” noted analyst Bill D’Agostino.

“Analysts found 114 instances of the term on MSNBC and 108 on CNN, for a total of 222 total uses of the word. There were no shows on either network in which the term was not uttered at least once,” he adds.

ONE FOR THE NRA

Trade Show News Network has recognized the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting as the “Fastest Growing Association Show” in America, defeating hundreds of other rivals in the event world. This year, over 87,000 people showed up in May for the NRA’s annual get-together in Dallas.

“Unusual for a 70-year-old show from a 147-year-old organization to garner such an award over organizations representing new, developing industries,” says Jeff Poole, the NRA’s director of shows and exhibits.

“The award demonstrates the vitality of the NRA and the firearms industry, and is proof that NRA is in tune with its membership, true to its mission and delivering the content our members want,” Mr. Poole adds.

SEVEN MILES A SECOND

Vice President Mike Pence journeyed to Johnson Space Center in Houston this week to review the Trump administration’s current space policy. There was much applause.

“President Trump already signed into law historic funding for NASA. And we’ve also fully funded NASA’s most important endeavors from deep-space human exploration: America’s rocket, the Space Launch System, and the Orion space capsule,” Mr. Pence said. “These projects, as you all well know, are emblematic of American leadership in the cosmos. The Space Launch System will be the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. It will generate a staggering 11.9 million pounds of thrust and reach speeds of nearly 7 miles per second. And all this force, all this energy, will lift American astronauts into space aboard the Orion capsule.”

Their destinations: The moon and Mars. Find everything there s ont his new system here.

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POLL DU JOUR

• 34 percent of U.S. voters say it is “not at all likely” that Robert Mueller’s investigation finds President Trump committed criminal or impeachable offenses; 68 percent of Republicans, 27 percent of independents and 8 percent of Democrats agree.

• 24 percent voters overall say it is “extremely likely” that the investigation will reveal the offenses; 8 percent of Republicans, 15 percent of independents and 39 percent of Democrats agree.

• 19 percent overall say it is “somewhat likely” that the investigation will reveal the offenses; 13 percent of Republicans, 23 percent of independents and 23 percent of Democrats agree.

• 16 percent overall say it is “very likely” that the investigation will reveal the offenses; 5 percent of Republicans, 17 percent of independents and 24 percent of Democrats agree.

• 8 percent overall say they don’t know what the outcome will be; 6 percent of Republicans, 19 percent of independents and 6 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: A Fox News poll of 1,009 registered U.S. voters conducted Aug. 19-21.

• Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twittter @HarperBulletin