Steyer Faces Backlash Over Influencer Payments

Billionaire gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer is facing criticism after campaign reports suggested he’s been paying large sums to numerous influencers and meme accounts. Critics, including some political observers, argue that the 68-year-old is attempting to deceive voters.

California’s Fair Political Practices Commission has started an inquiry into Steyer’s significant expenditure on a select group of Gen Z creators. Notably, some of these influencers didn’t disclose their payments from the billionaire hedge fund manager, and some posts were deleted shortly thereafter.

The latest Form 460 filings reveal that seven influencers have benefited from Steyer’s unprecedented campaign spending in California, with total costs exceeding $130 million thus far.

Beatrice Gomberg, a California influencer who lodged a complaint with the FPPC, suggested that payments to agencies like Palette Media included exaggerated charges.

“I just want Mr. Steyer to follow the rules like everyone else. This is simply about transparency,” Gomberg stated on Instagram.

Among the payments, Steyer reportedly gave a staggering $100,000 to Carlos Eduardo Espina, a Texas-based influencer with around 22 million followers.

Steyer’s records reflect a $5,000 payment to Palette Media, which is associated with him. Gomberg pointed out that this financial relationship wasn’t disclosed to the creators’ audiences.

Espina told the New York Times that he felt no need for disclosure since he was merely “advising” the campaign.

Another influencer, Isaiah Washington, known as @RelatableIsaiah, received $10,000 for promoting Steyer but later deleted his Instagram account. Others like Neesh Riaz (@neesh__me) and Yegneh Mahfaher (@littleyeg) were also compensated, with payments of approximately $2,812.50 and $1,500, respectively. Mahfaher, a commentator on Iranian politics, had interviewed Steyer about various issues.

The campaign reportedly utilized Gusty Media to facilitate these payments, with some influencers represented by PeopleFirst. This marketing company notably collaborates with prominent political figures like President Kamala Harris.

“While we can’t address specific cases, PeopleFirst ensures that creators adhere to FTC and FEC disclosure requirements. Unfortunately, we know some competitors do not, risking our clients and creators,” stated PeopleFirst CEO Ryan Davis via email.

Additionally, influencers such as Elizabeth Weber (@ewebzz) and Jason Chu (@jasonchumusic) were compensated for their involvement, with Chu earning $2,000.

Steyer’s team also incentivized content creators with offers of $10 per video and additional bonuses for relatable content promoting his campaign.

Over the weekend, Steyer’s strategy drew significant backlash on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Creator Jose Torres raised concerns about the transparent nature of Steyer’s influencer campaign in a post featuring the popular account “Foos Gone Wild,” which has a following of 3.3 million.

In a post that garnered substantial engagement, Steyer was seen wearing a shirt with a political message and jokingly participated in what they call a “sock check.” This kind of playful interaction is typical of accounts that critique social norms.

Torres emphasized that voters deserve clarity about when they’re engaging with content funded by campaigns.

Gomberg’s complaint also contends that Steyer and Washington breached the Political Reform Act by failing to disclose paid sponsorships during a now-removed interview.

In response, Steyer’s spokesperson, Kevin Liao, dismissed the claims as baseless.

“Creators, like any other professionals, deserve fair pay for their contributions. Unlike other campaigns, we maintain full transparency. All payments made are public as mandated by California law,” Liao commented.

The FPPC is continuing its investigation into the alleged violations.