(OAKLAND, CA, July 14, 2018)—Tom Steyer today called out the Washington, D.C. establishment for “playing” the American public and for failing to respond to Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on our democracy, including his meeting on Monday to befriend Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who masterminded cyberattacks on the 2016 Presidential election.

In his speech at the California Democratic Party Executive Committee in Oakland today, Steyer warned the American public that Trump “is getting played by Putin” and “for everyone in office claiming to be part of the resistance, if you don’t have what it takes to lead now—when we’re under the gun—then you shouldn’t bother asking for our support in the future. No more excuses. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”

During his appearance, Steyer also unveiled a new national television ad that features Steyer denouncing Trump’s upcoming meeting with Putin and demanding that Democratic and Republican members of Congress stop putting political interests ahead of their constituents and do their jobs.

In the 60-second ad, which was filmed in front of the Old North Church in Boston and begins airing on Sunday, Steyer invokes the actions of Paul Revere and other patriots that ignited the American Revolutionary War: “Almost 250 years ago, two lanterns were hung here to warn of the incoming attack on America,” he says in the ad. “Today it’s time we acknowledge what our president won’t, our democracy is under attack again. Donald Trump praises Vladimir Putin and meets with him on foreign soil, while rejecting our own law enforcement who say Putin launched a hostile attack on our last election, and is planning to do it again this year.”

Steyer goes on: “If Paul Revere and other patriots had waited until it was safe, or politically correct, we would never have the country we do today. It’s time for Congress, Republicans and Democrats, to put their political interests aside and do what’s best for our country.”

Steyer launched the Need to Impeach campaign on October 20, 2017 through national television and social media ads. More than 5.4 million people have since signed on to support the campaign, creating a digital army that several political strategists call one of the most powerful political tools in the Democratic Party. Twelve other national commercials—including two in Spanish—have aired, reaching more than two billion television viewers and more than 454 million people through social media.

Steyer concluded his speech today: “The only thing that will save this country is following the truth and dealing directly with the people. The American people have marched in the streets. Rallied at airports. Shut down the internment camps for children. We’ve voted out stale representatives, and nominated more women for office than ever before.

We, the people, did this. We didn’t make excuses. We acted. If our leaders in Washington don’t like it, maybe we need new leaders. We Democrats are in the fight for our lives. And it’s time we start acting like it.”

Learn more at www.NeedtoImpeach.com.