The mean-girling of Steve Bannon by Roger Stone has been an interesting instance of infighting among the inner MAGA circle, and exactly why that’s happening is becoming more clear. Stone got pissed off when Trump pardoned Bannon for defrauding Trump supporters, and it seems like Stone is all kinds-of worked up at the idea of Bannon skating on punishment, shortly before Stone came under investigation for his alleged role in plotting the insurrection. Well, Bannon kind-of admitted that he did, as many suspected, have a hand in strategizing the failed coup. And now, Bannon has been subpoenaed over Jan. 6 by the House select committee in charge of the investigation.
This should make Roger Stone happy, sure. And it’s also no real surprise that the guy who called for Fauci’s head on a pike would have been all-up in this insurrection business. Well, the new book (Peril) from veteran journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa claims to bring the receipts on what Bannon said to Trump in the lead-up to January 6. Here are some excerpts via CNN:
“‘You’ve got to call Pence off the [expletive] ski slopes and get him back here today. This is a crisis.’ Bannon said, referring to the vice president who was vacationing in Vail, Colorado.
“Bannon told Trump to focus on January 6. That was the moment for a reckoning.
“‘People are going to go ‘What the [expletive] is going on here?’ Bannon believed. ‘We’re going to bury Biden on January 6th, [expletive] bury him.’”
Pence did vacation in Vail over the holidays, so that part checks out, as well as his public declaration that he remains “proud” of his own January 6 actions, which would be the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential win in Congress. Meanwhile, the CNN piece reveals how Bannon and Trump complained to each other about Pence. The pair was not happy, with Trump calling Pence “arrogant” and remarking how he had changed on Trump, and Bannon “agreed.”
All in all, it’s not looking wonderful for Steve Bannon concerning January 6, and Biden has signaled that Trump might be out of luck on the executive-privilege issue, too.
(Via CNN)