California businessman Tom Steyer is calling for Donald Trump’s impeachment with a petition at needtoimpeach.com. If you haven’t seen his ads yet, take a gander below:
Trump threatens our Constitution, our freedoms, and our lives. It’s time to begin impeachment proceedings. Join us. https://t.co/L5Azj0p6oA pic.twitter.com/rqQkt2aMn8
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) October 20, 2017
But just who is this guy? We break it down below.
Steyer is the founder of NextGen America, a political organization working to “to prevent climate disaster, promote prosperity, and protect the fundamental rights of every American,” according to its website. The organization was founded in 2013 under the name NextGen Climate, and lobbies for candidates who “support climate action.” Now, they’re adding “the fight for immigrant rights, affordable health care, prosperity, and equality” to their goals.
Steyer was instrumental in defeating California’s Prop 23 in 2010, which would roll back the state’s effort to address climate change and reduce pollution. Two years later, Steyer led the campaign to invest millions in California schools. His wife is also a prolific philanthropist.
You probably haven’t heard of Steyer–but he (and his money) was a huge player in the 2016 election. As CBS reports, he spent more than $75 million to “mobilize millennials for progressive causes,” making him the single biggest spender in U.S. politics last year.
Before founding NextGen Climate, Steyer founded Farallon Capital, a very successful hedge fund — he turned $8 million into $30 billion in 20 years, according to Men’s Journal. He graduated first in his class from Phillips Exeter Academy and summa cum laude from Yale. He then went to Stanford business school before beginning a two-year stint at Goldman Sachs.
According to Forbes, his personal fortune is an estimated $1.61 billion.