Tom Steyer’s influencer payments spark California campaign investigation

California regulators have opened an investigation into billionaire Tom Steyer’s use of paid social‑media influencers during his bid for governor. Campaign finance filings show Steyer has paid more than $123,000 to at least eight influencers and a reported $100,000 to Texas‑based Latino mega‑influencer Carlos Eduardo Espina, whose 14 million TikTok followers are a target for Democrats.

The campaign also hired digital‑media firm Group Project Digital for over $870,000 to solicit creators to post daily videos praising Steyer. Influencers such as Jaz Roche (@spo0kymom) and Isaiah Washington (@zaydante) posted content without the required disclosures, prompting a complaint from two pro‑Becerra influencers. Under a 2021 California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, paid political content must be disclosed, but the law carries no real penalties and enforcement can take years.

Steyer’s team argues that creators deserve compensation for their work. A spokesperson called the complaint “baseless.” The investigation currently focuses on one video that lacked a disclosure, while additional complaints allege further undisclosed posts, including accounts operating from other countries.