Shawn Steel
{{Short description|American political activist}}
{{Resume-like|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Shawn Steel
| image = File:Shawn Steel 2018.jpg
| office = Republican National Committeeman
from California
| term_start = 2008
| term_end =
| predecessor = Tim Morgan
| successor =
| office1 = Chair of the California Republican Party
| term_start1 = February 25, 2001
| term_end1 = February 22, 2003
| predecessor1 = John McGraw
| successor1 = Duf Sundheim
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1946}}
| birth_place = California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Michelle Steel
| education = California State University, Northridge (BA)
University of Southern California (MA)
Northrop University (JD)
}}
Shawn Steel (born {{circa|1946}}) is an American politician serving as the Republican National Committee Member from California since 2008.{{cite web|url=https://gop.com/|title=National Committeeman Shawn Steel|website=GOP|language=en|access-date=2019-09-26}} He was voted by his colleagues to the executive committee of the Republican National Committee in 2018. Steel served as Sergeant at Arms at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://gop.com/rnc-announces-sergeant-at-arms-for-republican-national-convention|title=RNC Announces Sergeant-at-Arms For Republican National Convention|date=2016-07-06|website=GOP|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}} In 2012, he served as Deputy Permanent Co-chairmen of the convention.{{Cite web|url=https://gop.com/recommended-officers-for-the-republican-national-convention|title=Recommended Officers for the Republican National Convention|date=2012-08-22|website=GOP|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}} He was elected as Chairman of the California Republican Party from 2001 to 2003.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/peoplesmachinear00math|url-access=registration|title=The People's Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy|last=Mathews|first=Joe|publisher=PublicAffairs|year=2006|isbn=9781586482725|location=United States of America|pages=xiii, 110, 115}} He is the husband of former Congresswoman Michelle Park Steel, who represented California's 45th congressional district from 2021 to 2025.
As the California Republican Party Chairman, Steel was the co-founder of the successful recall of Governor Gray Davis in 2003.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9dMVmaLaSwC|title=The End of Prosperity: How Higher Taxes Will Doom the Economy--If We Let It Happen|last1=Laffer|first1=Arthur|last2=Moore|first2=Stephen|last3=Tanous|first3=Peter|publisher=Threshold Editions, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=9781416592389|location=New York|pages=164}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ItJ9A3TnHzMC&q=shawn+steel&pg=PA72|title=What's the Matter with California?: Cultural Rumbles from the Golden State and Why the Rest of Us Should Be Shaking|last=Cashill|first=Jack|publisher=Threshold Editions, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.|year=2007|isbn=9781416531036|location=New York|pages=100}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VW-sBwAAQBAJ&q=shawn+steel&pg=PR9|title=Recall!: California's Political Earthquake: California's Political Earthquake|last1=Gerston|first1=Larry|last2=Christensen|first2=Terry|publisher=Routledge|year=2015|isbn=9780765614575|location=London & New York|pages=56}} Gov. Davis was recalled via a Recall Petition in which Steel was the first signatory of over 1,000,000 signatures.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-18-me-gop18-story.html|title=GOP Hope: Dump Davis|date=2003-02-18|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-26}}{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/taking-down-gray/|title=Taking Down Gray|last=Bradley|first=Bill|date=2003-02-13|website=LA Weekly|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-26}}
Steel is a frequent guest on CNN, Fox, and local Los Angeles media. He published over 50 articles in a variety of publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal, San Diego Union, Sacramento Bee, Orange County Register, and Washington Times.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/08/06/utility-monopoly-demand-more/|title=Utility monopoly demands more corporate welfare|date=2018-08-06|website=Orange County Register|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/conservative-lawyers-steal-page-from-progressive-playbook|title=Conservative lawyers steal page from progressive playbook|last=Register|first=Shawn Steel {{!}} Orange County|date=2019-03-15|website=Orange County Register|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.flashreport.org/blog/2012/08/01/shawn-steel-makes-the-notable-quotable-section-of-the-wsj/|title=Shawn Steel makes the "Notable & Quotable" Section of the WSJ! {{!}} FlashReport|website=www.flashreport.org|access-date=2019-10-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://blog.ethanbearman.com/tag/shawn-steel/|title=Shawn Steel Archives|website=Ethan Bearman's Blog|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-17}}{{Citation|title=SCOTUS says Muslim travel ban is legal, sidesteps religious animus question {{!}} Omar Noureldin on CNN| date=27 June 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwv86yiP_80|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}}
Steel is a trial attorney specializing in personal injury law and pioneered a specialty representing alternative health care providers, particularly chiropractors and acupuncturists.{{cite web|url=https://www.steeleisner.com/|title=Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers & Accident Attorneys {{!}} Steel & Eisner, LLP|website=www.steeleisner.com|access-date=2019-09-26}} He regularly teaches at Palmer West Chiropractic, Life Chiropractic College West and Southern California University of Health Sciences and frequent lecturer for doctors re-licensing credit through California. Steel & Eisner, LLP,{{cite web|url=https://www.steeleisner.com/attorneys/shawn-steel|title=Chiropractic PI Attorneys; Personal Injury Accident Lawyers {{!}} Steel & Eisner, LLP|website=www.steeleisner.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}} is located in Seal Beach, California.
Early life
Steel graduated from Van Nuys High School growing up in the San Fernando Valley. Steel's lifetime of conservative political activism began as a leader in the San Fernando Valley Youth for Goldwater (YFG). YFG was a youth group supporting Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona for the U.S. presidency. After the Goldwater defeat, he helped form numerous chapters of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) in the Los Angeles region. Steel was statewide Chairman of Youth for Reagan for high school students. Steel became state Chairman of California of YAF.
Education
Steel received his Bachelor of Arts degree, with California state teaching credentials, from California State University, Northridge, his Master of Arts from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and his Juris Doctor from Northrop University in Inglewood, California, a 'corporate university' that has since folded after accusations of improprieties in bookkeeping, credits, and the recruitment of foreign students.{{Cite news |date=1991-05-10 |title=Northrop University to Drop Degree Programs, Cut Faculty |pages=548 |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-northrop-universit/131562645/ |access-date=2023-10-18}}
California Republican Party
As California Republican Party Chairman, Steel was a co-founder of the Recall Davis movement. Along with Ted Costa, of Peoples Advocate, they were responsible for organizing the recall campaign against Governor Davis. The success of the recall resulted in Arnold Schwarzenegger's election as governor.
Steel was criticized by senior California Republican leaders as well as national leaders. Corporate raider Gerry Parsky, and President George W. Bush's unofficial representative in California questioned the strategy of recalling Gray Davis. Some party leaders objected to Steel's efforts to unseat Davis, fearing it was too risky. Steel at the CRP convention in February 2003 convinced an overwhelming majority to endorse the Recall, thus turning the tide for the recall campaign.
Career highlights
- 2017 – Elected by Western States RNC Member to the RNC Executive Committee
- 2008 – Elected as RNC California Committeeman
- 2003 – Cofounded the successful recall campaign against then-incumbent Democratic governor Gray Davis
- 2001–2003 – Chairman of the California Republican Party
Public service
Steel teaches Ethics and Jurisprudence at Cleveland University-Kansas City in Los Angeles. He also is a regular lecturer at Palmer College of Chiropractic in San Jose and [https://www.scuhs.edu/ Southern California University of Health Services] in Whittier. He was appointed by Republican governor Pete Wilson to the California State Acupuncture Board.{{Cite book|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=L0RKAQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA3979|title=Journal of the Senate, Legislature of the State of California, 1997-98 Regular Session|last=California. Legislature. Senate|publisher=California State Printing Office|year=1997|location=Sacramento|pages=3979}} He was appointed in 1993 and served until 2000.{{Cite book|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=IKRExOeMHu4C&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA3556|title=Journals of the Legislature of the State of California, Volume 1, Issue 2|last=California Legislature|publisher=California State Printing Office|year=1993|location=Sacramento|pages=3556}} Steel was elected by his peers as Chairman of the Acupuncture Board for two one-year terms.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C7g3AQAAMAAJ&q=%22shawn+steel%22+members+california+acupuncture+board|title=Annual Report - The Consumer|last=California. Dept. of Consumer Affairs|publisher=California. Dept. of Consumer Affairs|year=1995|location=Sacramento|pages=17}}
Private practice
Steel's personal injury practice, Steel & Eisner, LLP,{{cite web|url=https://www.steeleisner.com/attorneys/shawn-steel|title=Chiropractic PI Attorneys; Personal Injury Accident Lawyers {{!}} Steel & Eisner, LLP|website=www.steeleisner.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}} is based in Seal Beach, California.{{cite web|url=https://www.steeleisner.com/attorneys/shawn-steel|title=Chiropractic PI Attorneys; Personal Injury Accident Lawyers {{!}} Steel & Eisner, LLP|website=www.steeleisner.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}}
Steel is known for having broken significant legal ground by representing family members of the notorious Jonestown massacre in Guyana in his early practice.{{Cite web|url=https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=18906|title=Order Assuming Jurisdiction of Winding Up of Peoples Temple (Text) – Alternative Considerations of Jonestown & Peoples Temple|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.steeleisner.com/attorneys/shawn-steel|title=Chiropractic PI Attorneys; Personal Injury Accident Lawyers {{!}} Steel & Eisner, LLP|website=www.steeleisner.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}} More recently he has filed lawsuits against University of California, Berkeley seeking to protect First Amendment Freedom of Speech rights.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailycal.org/2018/01/17/plaintiffs-lawyers-suing-uc-berkeley-clarify-details-say-police-did-not-follow-protocol/|title=Lawyers say suit against UC Berkeley targets lack of intellectual diversity|last=Lo|first=Matthew|date=2018-01-17|website=The Daily Californian|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-27}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/blakemontgomery/people-injured-at-berkeley-riot-file-lawsuit|title=Milo Yiannopoulos Ticket Holders Sue Over Injuries Sustained During UC Berkeley Riot|website=BuzzFeed News|date=17 January 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-09-27}}
Chinese influence
In June 2020, Steel was linked by the Wall Street Journal to an effort by Chinese nationalists to influence the Trump administration. In May 2017, Steel held a gathering of GOP leaders to discuss campaign strategies and other issues. The meeting reportedly included Chinese nationals working closely with China's national-security apparatus, and Chinese military representatives. After the news was reported, the Republican National Committee said it had instructed Mr. Steel to break ties with the people identified in the reports, but did not return the donations because they did not believe them to be in violation of campaign-finance law.{{cite web|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/political-donors-linked-to-china-won-access-to-trump-gop-11592925569 |title=Political Donors Linked to China Won Access to Trump, GOP |website=Wall Street Journal |date=2020-06-23 |access-date=2020-07-01}} Mr. Steel responded to press by stating it would “false, defamatory, and offensive” to say he aided any Chinese efforts.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-25 |title=Report links Shawn Steel with Chinese efforts to influence Trump administration |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2020/06/24/report-links-shawn-steel-with-chinese-efforts-to-influence-trump-administration/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Steel's wife is former Congresswoman Michelle Park Steel, who represented California's 45th congressional district from 2021 until 2025 after being decisively defeated by U.S. Army Veteran and lawyer Derek Truyen Tran. They have two children, Cheyenne Park Steel Klotz and Siobhan Cheong Steel.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Steel, Shawn}}
Category:California Republican Party chairs
Category:Van Nuys High School alumni
Category:California State University, Northridge alumni
Category:University of Southern California alumni
Category:Northrop University alumni
Category:Republican National Committee members