Bannon's Emergence from the Crypt on Hallowe'en Night

This is why the GOP is not A) leaking statements from witnesses being deposed; and B) still talking only about process:

“To me this is a policy difference,” said Bannon. “I think when you look at President Trump, I haven’t seen anything in the transcript. I haven’t seen anything in the drive. I looked to Mike Pompeo’s speech today. I haven’t seen anything that he has done that is wrong or inappropriate.”


“In general, is it okay for a president, any president to ask a foreign leader of a country fighting a war against our adversaries in need of aid to do a political favor and investigate his political opponent and hold aid over it?” countered Cooper.

“This is where your premise is wrong,” said Bannon. “Number one, one of the things that started this was ‘Secret Empires,’ the book that Peter Schweizer did. This is where Biden and Mitch McConnell and others talked about where they get their money from. And Biden — hold on, and China and Ukraine, and the issues were when he was vice president. I don’t buy the assumption — see you have this premise that it’s about a political opponent. What they’re investigating is the corruption—”

“Oh, come on, give me a break. You know very well that that is bull,” said Cooper. “How can you say — if you’re concerned about corruption — you’re concerned about corruption in Ukraine, I’ve been there. There is a lot of corruption. The only example of corruption in the Ukraine the president can say is Joe Biden, the guy he happens to be running against?”

“No, no,” said Bannon.

“And he talked about the conspiracy theory. The CrowdStrike and the server being in Ukraine,” said Cooper.

“What Pompeo talked about today that nothing that the president has done is outside—”

“But you haven’t addressed what I just said which is he’s talking about a conspiracy theory and Joe Biden,” said Cooper.

“Ernst & Young says Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in world,” said Bannon. “No earthly idea, and that’s what this process is about.”

“We do have a lot of earthy idea about who is corrupting Ukraine,” shot back Cooper. “Because we have diplomats working on it because that’s been U.S. policy. And the president cannot name any other Ukrainian official who’s corrupt who he wants investigated? The only one he can name is Joe Biden?”

“That’s why this process starting now,” said Bannon. “Now we’re going to have an impeachment process. You’re going to have an impeachment process and not going to have a star chamber.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” said Cooper.

Proof positive Anderson Cooper is part of the Deep State.  Or is it the cult that's out to get Trump via impeachment?  Can't tell your conspiracy theories without a scorecard!

And Peter Schweizer?  Peter Schweizer?  Oh, yeah:  Peter Schweizer:

Let’s remind ourselves of Schweizer’s most recent history. He co-founded the Government Accountability Institute with Steve Bannon and financing from Robert Mercer. His last book, Clinton Cash, was weaponized (with a huge assist from the New York Times) to lay the foundation for Trump’s “crooked Hillary” meme and the media’s obsession with the Clinton Foundation.

On the cover of Schweizers latest book, Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends, we see the faces of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Mitch McConnell and Jared Kushner. During a recent interview with Sean Hannity, Schweizer claims that the inclusion of Kushner was more of a warning than an allegation of corruption. But it is worth noting that Schweitzer’s partner, Steve Bannon, has been pretty open about the fact that he considers the president’s son-in-law to be an enemy, along with Majority Leader McConnell.

The attacks on Biden and Kerry are apparently based on Schweizer’s assertion that, while in their roles as Vice President and Secretary of State, they went easy on China and their sons benefited in their business dealings as a result. Once again, he’s playing the “merchant of doubt” with no actual evidence of corruption. All he has is a factless assertion that these two politicians gave China a break and that their sons were rewarded.

Well, that's where the whole "China and Biden" story keeps coming from.  And gee, he's connected at the hip to Steve Bannon, and taking money from Robert Mercer, who never met a right-wing crackpot he didn't want to throw money at.  Yeah, Schweizer is clearly an independent source of information, separate and apart from Steve Bannon.

Hell, now I understand where Trump gets his craziest ideas.  And the worst part is, Bannon still thinks this is a defense.  He makes Trump look rational.  As Nancy LeTourneau said of Schweizer:  "His claims are so absurd that perhaps people are finally beginning to see him for the propagandist he’s always been."

I think that can be said for most of the House GOP and Administration, at this point.  At least the parts of the Administration who aren't testifying against Trump.

(BTW, does Bannon want to address this?

THIS. And it's not only a quid pro quo, it's an attempt to use official channels to conduct *a propaganda operation* against the American public (which is 🎶illegal🎶) https://t.co/iC03WeHHUv

— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) October 31, 2019