Can Democrats afford to take on Big Tech? Or to leave it alone?

Julia Glover, a veteran aide to CEOs navigating the halls of Washington, D.C., received a peculiar request from Elon Musk during the summer of 2020. Musk, who had begun to disparage Democratic nominee Joe Biden on X, asked Glover to reach out to the former vice president on his behalf. Biden's team, however, dismissed her plea. Glover, currently an outspoken critic of Trump, is now advocating for Democrats to steer clear of the tech giants in the upcoming November elections.

She suggests focusing their investigative efforts on smaller targets like crypto scammers, Kazakh mining companies, and insider traders, rather than on established American businesses. Glover argues that Democrats should seek evidence to present to state attorneys general for prosecution. Most Fortune 500 companies, she contends, have largely complied with the law in supporting President Trump's initiatives, and their legal teams would likely complicate any Democratic investigations.

Glover believes that retaining the support of these powerful business leaders is crucial for Democrats to secure the White House in 2028. Democrats are currently deliberating which issues to investigate in their House committees, ranging from obscure criminals to blue-chip companies, the Trump family, and even Cabinet members. They are still determining their priorities, with Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., stating that the main focus will be on corporate corruption.

The Oversight Democrats, known for their criticism of Trump and Epstein, haven't targeted Big Tech in their public letters to CEOs. Trump and his family deny any wrongdoing, viewing payment to Trump's causes as a family business extension. Despite the perception that beating up on Big Tech is popular among the public, some Democrats, like Rep. Ted Lieu, argue that the companies should face consequences for their support of an "authoritarian regime."