In a move which is getting curiouser and curiouser, Steve Bannon appeared at the U.S. Courthouse where he was scheduled to turn himself in and saluted his troops. He gave a pep talk to his War Room listeners, assuring them that this was a great day, a day wherein he and they would rally together to take down “the Biden regime.” Interesting words coming from a man who was just indicted for contempt of Congress and if anybody’s ship is going down, it’s his.
It was well known that Bannon was going to play this in a brazen manner. This is all a performance for the “enemy of the people.” “The Democrats don’t matter,” he once explained. “The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.”
And flood it he has. The yous and mes have to put on hip high wading boots to navigate our way through the sewers of disinformation and conspiracy theory on a daily basis.
Sean Illing of Vox calls this “manufactured nihilism,” and it has become the central political reality of our time, says Charlie Sykes.
The media cycle is easily commandeered by misinformation, innuendo, and outrageous content. These are problems because of the norms that govern journalism and because the political economy of media makes it very hard to ignore or dispel bullshit stories. This is at the root of our nihilism problem, and a solution is nowhere in sight.
In any other era it would be curious indeed that a man under federal indictment, surrendering to authorities, would couch things as though he is in charge and this is his moment in the sun — but not in this era. Nowadays it makes perfect sense. Up is down, black is white.
He needs to be taken off the air. I think he could incite the crazies with his rhetoric. I know everyone has freedom of speech but his words are ridiculous.
Cameras aren’t allowed in federal courtrooms. However, in some cases audiotapes of the proceedings get released. Bannon knows this, so unless I’m mistaken he and his lawyers will have sung a very different tune in front of the judge. So maybe, especially if the judge issued some orders, or at least suggested trying the case in the media would NOT “please the court” (IOW “Mr. Bannon, tone it down unless you want a contempt charge from the bench and will sit in a jail cell until you apologize. And rest assured this court WILL release the transcript and audio of your apology”) Bannon will leave his bluster at what he said in the clip.
Nah. He’s got too much ego so the judge is going to have to slap him down. And let the public in on it via transcripts and audio. Maybe even toss his ass in the slammer. Contempt of court is something a judge can decide right there on the spot and if they do only a quite clear apology (none of that “non-apology” apology bullshit) or complying with a judge’s order (i.e. answer the question or I’ll hold you in contempt) and if the judge wants to play hardball they can literally have the bailiff take someone into custody right then and there & then let them sit in a jail cell until they send word they will apologize/comply. And then do exactly that once back in court or it’s straight back to the jail cell.
Bannon has been in court before, and knows that unlike the political arena he doesn’t control the process. Good lawyers can and do manipulate the rules and/or test boundaries to make their case but judges have immense power and it’s their show to run. Piss one off and you are in a world of hurt. Worse for Bannon is that he’s in DC courts and the judges there increasingly are fed up with Trump and his ilk which of course includes Bannon!
he and his lawyers will be trying for “executive privilege”, and they’ll have to explain why he should have it when he’s been officially out of government since 2017.
If Republicans hope to retake the majority in Congress in 2022, they will have to tamp down any potential violence by Trump fanatics. But we know Trump has no loyalty to the GOP, so it’s very possible that Bannon and others will “incite the crazies,” especially if more criminal indictments and convictions are coming.
Bannon must go. Simple as that. Biden has,already said Trump has no right to exert executive privileges now that he is out of office. I think the courts will agree. IF(huge if) there was a national security issue,,Fat Donnie Donuts might have a chance but this isn’t about national.security–except for the insurrection,which he incited and which is why the House is investigating potential criminal.charges.