Monday, July 11, 2022

Steve Bannon, Sooper Genius

Before I went to law school, I worked for a law firm. Came the time we needed some video from a local news station, and I tried to get it. When I told the lawyer it would only be available with a subpoena, he said we couldn’t do this without a case.

Which is when I learned that subpoenas are court orders, and courts can’t issue such orders on their own initiative. It has to be requested by a party to a lawsuit. My mind is full of a much more complicated explanation about how our legal system works and how this issue is at the heart of it. I won’t go into it, but it’s that fundamental. And reporters don’t understand it at all.

At. All.

Bannon’s “threat” never “got any traction” because, like the reporter, Bannon had no idea what he was talking about. He might as well have declared himself King of the World.

But remember, he’s a threat to democracy. I suppose gross ignorance always is. Which Ms. Senior goes on to prove (about Bannon):
And back to the future: Bannon’s trial on his criminal contempt charge is on Monday, the 18th. He may think this offer affects that hearing (probably not). He’s not likely to testify to the committee live on broadcast TeeVee.. The Committee knows better. Bannon’s testimony will be taped, and we may never see it. There’s a question as to whether the Committee will even ask for his testimony. And of course, once he’s under oath, he’ll be responsible for what he says. Like Trump, that’s never a good position for Bannon to be in.

Besides, this offer to negotiate his testimony does not clear the contempt of Congress charge. It might work that way if it was a contempt of court charge and Bannon was before the court that made the charge. But this is Bannon v. the DOJ. The court is likely to follow the DOJ’s argument that the contempt and this announcement are unrelated to each other. Especially since the contempt is of Congress, and they haven’t signaled that this offer cures that contempt.

I really think this was an effort to change the headlines before new hearings were announced. Yeah, I think they’re that desperate; and that pathetic. Oh, and that clueless.
He didn’t lose so he still gets to decide who gets the privilege. And it’s entirely about him. Five paragraphs, all about how aggrieved Donald is.

Trump just wants the headlines to be about him. IIRC, he fired Bannon the first time because Bannon took credit for some of Trump’s electoral victories. Funny Trump never mentions Bannon’s name in the body of his letter.

And then very early this morning DOJ blows up any attempt Bannon is making to clear his contempt.
This is why Bannon’s lawyer just withdrew because he was going to be a witness. It also explains the timing, and need, for Trump’s July 9 letter. But the DOJ is saying even that letter of July 9 is just bullshit and bafflegab. 

And I’d argue Trump sent it because he knew what was coming (the lawyer as witness piece) and because Cipollone has put the fear of God into him.

Tell me again what a grave danger to democracy Steve Bannon is.
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