FPPC investigating Steyer campaign’s $10,000 payment to TikTok influencer
The state’s political ethics watchdog is investigating the campaign of gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer and an influencer who boosted him online for potentially violating a state law on political advertisements.
Isaiah “Zay Dante” Washington posted a since-deleted TikTok video in March of himself interviewing Steyer, for which he did not disclose the campaign had paid him $10,000. A 2023 state law requires people to disclose if they’ve been paid to support or oppose a candidate or ballot initiative online or via an app.
The Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed it is investigating Steyer’s campaign and Washington for not disclosing the payment, which was first reported by The Sacramento Bee. Steyer’s campaign initially paid creators $10 per unique video and has since raised that amount to $1,000 per month.
Influencers have become a routine part of persuading voters in local, state and national races as legacy media’s reach has waned, though there are few laws on the books regulating them.
Winchester-based creator Beatrice Gomberg said in an email that she and Los Angeles-area influencer Kaitlyn Hennessy filed a complaint naming Steyer and Washington earlier this week, as first reported by the Washington Post. Both have signaled support for Xavier Becerra, whose polling numbers in the crowded gubernatorial field have been on the upswing.
“At this time, we have not made any determination about the possible violations. We are simply providing you with this information as a courtesy and may be contacting you to discuss the matter,” FPPC assistant enforcement chief Christopher Burton wrote to Steyer’s campaign and Washington.
Steyer spokesperson Kevin Liao said the campaign requires creators to follow all disclosure laws when contracting with the campaign and discloses payments in campaign filings.
“As a result, we are confident the complaint is baseless,” he said.
Violations ordinarily result in a fine, according to the 2023 law. The FPPC has been criticized for being slow to act, often taking years to conclude probes into potential lawbreakers.
It’s unclear if other governor candidates have paid creators to boost them online. Some users on the Threads app and X have reported an influx of pro-Becerra accounts that appeared to surface online the same week that he began surging in polls following the collapse of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign.
A Becerra digital strategist said the campaign employs a staffer to create content but has said all online support is “organic” and unpaid.
