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Trump considers waiving claim of executive privilege for Steve Bannon

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
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Former President Donald Trump is considering sending a letter to Stephen K. Bannon saying that he is waiving his claim of executive privilege, potentially clearing the way for his former chief strategist to testify before the House select committee investigating the pro-Trump riot at the Capitol.

The letter would reiterate that Trump invoked executive privilege in September 2021, when Bannon was first subpoenaed by the House committee. But it would say that the former president is now willing to give up that claim — which has been disputed — if Bannon can reach an agreement on the terms of an appearance before the panel. The letter was described by three people familiar with it, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.
Some advisers were seeking to talk Trump out of signing the letter.



Bannon was charged with contempt of Congress in November 2021 for refusing to comply with the subpoena. A trial on those charges is scheduled to begin July 18, though Bannon has sought to delay the proceedings.
The committee has argued that claims of executive privilege are not valid for Bannon, who was a private citizen at the time of Jan. 6, 2021. The committee has also said that Bannon, an outspoken advocate of false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, was required to respond to the subpoena in some way — citing claims of privilege on a question-by-question basis instead of by refusing to respond.
“Even if your client had been a senior aide to the President during the time period covered by the contemplated testimony, which he was most assuredly not, he is not permitted by law to the type of immunity you suggest that Mr. Trump has requested he assert,” Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) wrote to Bannon’s attorney in October.
The government has declined to bring contempt charges against other former Trump aides who have also cited executive privilege, including former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former adviser Dan Scavino.
An attorney for Bannon and a spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 
That is interesting. Bannon has an amazingly weak claim, anyway. I wonder if Bannon and Trump have coordinated in order for Bannon to go in and try to blow up a public hearing and turn it into a MAGA grievance party?
Alternatively, if the pardon Trump granted Bannon on 1/19/21 covered all federal crimes, things could get weird.
 
I’ll also waive my privilege claim that nobody recognized.
When will you be giving testimony and do you intend to invoke the 5th Amendment protection against self-incrimination?
 
It sounds like Bannon is demanding a straight to prime time appearance, and the committee is going to make him sit for a deposition. Good move. Hold the line. Let him plead the 5th a few times, or commit perjury. He won’t say anything useful at this point. He is locked in on the grift.
 
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No way in hell would I let Bannon testify now. Would his testimony be in the best interest of the United States, or Bannon's?
 
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this just screams to me that they knew Brannon was going to lose his suit in court - which was never really in doubt, so now Trump gets to claim he’s being magnanimous by not claiming executive privilege here…which again, was never in doubt since he’s no longer president and that Bannon had long been a former WH advisor so that wouldn’t fly either.
 
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