Scorned Bannon to Testify
As discussed on the most recent episode of the Whiskey Congress Podcast (Everyone’s To Blame), Stephen K. Bannon is finally going to officially meet with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation team. Given the numerous statements and criticisms attributed to Mr. Bannon in Michael Wolff’s recently released bombshell Fire and Fury, this should be interesting.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team wants to question former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon about the firings of national security adviser Michael Flynn and FBI Director James Comey, according to two people familiar with the investigation.
Bannon is set to interview with Mueller by the end of the month, these people say, as the special counsel’s investigation moves closer to President Donald Trump’s inner circle. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was a witness to the firing of Comey, was interviewed last week, the Justice Department confirmed Tuesday.
In addition to the Comey and Flynn firings, key issues from Bannon’s time in the White House are likely to include Trump’s decision to fire then-acting Attorney General Sally Yates and any pressure the President may have exerted on Sessions about the FBI investigation into Russia’s interference with the election.
Bannon’s attorney has said that his client will not be able to use the protections of executive privilege to dodge questions when he meets with Mueller’s team. Last week, Bannon infuriated lawmakers from both parties after he refused to answer questions before the House Intelligence Committee about his work during the presidential transition or in the West Wing.
From his early days in the administration, Bannon was wary about the Russia investigation seeping into operations in the West Wing. He had only been working as chief strategist for a few months when he began trying to avoid meetings and discussions that could one day wind up of interest to investigators in the various Russia probes, according to sources familiar with the situation.
But his efforts to shield himself fell short.
