• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
PoliticsU.S. Politics

How 2020 Candidates Are Using Impeachment to Raise Money on Facebook

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
September 26, 2019, 12:58 PM ET

On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House would open an official impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

While the primary focus may be on the impeachment inquiry itself, a number of 2020 presidential candidates are using it as an opportunity to run ads and raise money—including Trump himself.

Minutes after Pelosi began speaking on Tuesday, Trump’s campaign team sent out a text message to supporters, asking them to join his “Impeachment Defense Team.”

This effort was bolstered by emails, tweets, Facebook ads, and a video Trump shared on Twitter. Trump reportedly raised $1 million within three hours, and he and the RNC raised $5 million in the 24 hours following Pelosi’s announcement.

But that’s not all. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren all began running Facebook ads seeking to monetize the impeachment inquiry. 

Biden has run several ads against Trump, including one that refers specifically to Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Zelensky. It reads: “Donald Trump sat in the Oval Office asking a foreign leader to investigate Joe Biden’s family because he knows Joe Biden will make sure he’s a one-term president. Don’t let the President get away with this gross abuse of power. Show your support for Joe Biden today.”

Warren, meanwhile, called for the impeachment inquiry to “move forward with the efficiency and seriousness this crisis requires.” The ad calls for the House to “vote on articles of impeachment—and when it comes to the Senate, I will do what the Constitution requires.” 

“Sign up now if you’re with me,” it concludes. 

In an ad run by Harris’ campaign, she writes that “Donald Trump has abused his power, obstructed justice, and violated his oath of office. He puts his political interests over our national interest. No one is above the law. He must be impeached.”

It should come as no surprise that billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer, who is perhaps best known for the Need to Impeach campaign that he started prior to launching his own bid for the presidency, has run numerous ads referring to Trump’s impeachment. 

Among others is one that reads: “Impeachment is happening. If we can build a grassroots army of Americans to impeach a lawless president, we can build an army to kick corporations out of politics. I’m a candidate who knows how to organize – and win. Join my campaign.”

Other top-polling candidates, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Pete Buttigieg did not appear to run any Facebook ads leveraging the impeachment inquiry. All of the aforementioned candidates have expressed explicit support for impeachment, with the exception of Buttigieg.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—A running list of questions on the impeachment inquiry, answered
—5 allegations made in the declassified whistleblower complaint
—What is CrowdStrike? Trump mentioned the company in his Ukraine call
—These are the key players in the Trump impeachment inquiry
—How impeachment momentum massively shifted among democrats
—The 25 most powerful women in politics

Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.