In The Know

Rob Thomas: Anti-Trump celebs have become ‘white noise’

ASCAP Foundation We Write The Songs Event

Rob Thomas says he’s no Donald Trump supporter, but he’s had enough with Hollywood stars speaking out against the president.

“I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, but I am so tired of hearing celebrities talk about not being a fan of Donald Trump, that it almost seems like white noise,” the Matchbox Twenty frontman said Tuesday. “I think that he’s a man that’s not really equipped for the job, but I think no one really cares what I think about that.”

ITK caught up with the Grammy winner at the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation’s “We Write the Songs” event at the Library of Congress.

{mosads}“I have opinions, but my opinions are as a 45-year-old husband, father, taxpayer. No matter what I say, they always kind of come across as a guy who sings music and it’s always, ‘Well you need to shut up!’” the “Lonely No More” singer exclaimed.

“I think that there is a huge part of his base that thinks he’s killing it right now,” Thomas added of Trump, “and it’s really hard to speak against that because somewhere somebody thinks he’s right. Not me.”

The ninth annual “We Write the Songs” concert precedes a Wednesday push by ASCAP to urge lawmakers to update music licensing laws.

“They just told me today that on Pandora, ‘Smooth’ was 24 million streams. And I split that with another writer. I made a whopping $600 on that,” Thomas said, referring to his 1999 hit with Santana.

“I’m fortunate, I made money. But if you don’t have another income stream, and if you’re just starting out… you can have one of the biggest songs in the world, and not be able to make your car payment,” said Thomas.

A sea of lawmakers was on hand to watch Thomas and other performers, including Peter Frampton and Gordon Kennedy, take the stage.

Among those eyed at the music bash: Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Billy Long (R-Mo.), Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.), Martha Roby (R-Ala.), Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) shared a laugh with Thomas as the pair chatted it up at a reception prior to the concert.

Rep. Doug Collins introduced Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian, of The Hooters.

“Tonight is about how music makes us feel. The Hooters may have started in 1971, but I found them in 1986!” the Georgia Republican told the crowd as he proudly held up a cassette tape.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) was seen chatting up legendary producer Jimmy Jam as audience members poured into the Library of Congress’s Coolidge Auditorium ahead of the concert.

Tags Blake Farenthold Bob Goodlatte Brett Guthrie Dick Durbin Donald Trump Louie Gohmert Marsha Blackburn Martha Roby Roger Wicker Shelley Moore Capito

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