For a little while now when I’m feeling down I remember Steve Bannon is sitting in prison serving four months for Criminal Contempt of Congress. It doesn’t always cause the sun to shine through but at the very least it thins the clouds. I suggest you try it. Alas, he’ll get released days before the election. The good news however is that “Sloppy Steve” (hey, TRUMP hung that one on him) will find his fat butt back in court on December 9. His attempt to get New York STATE criminal fraud charges failed. Justice April Newbauer’s decision to denied Bannon’s motion to dismiss the charges so enjoy those six weeks Steve-O because like your pal Trump you’re going to be sitting there in court having to behave YOUR self while a jury of regular New Yorkers decides your fate!
This all goes back to a Bannon scam, his ‘We Build the Wall’ “foundation” which built very little wall (more like fixed up a few miles as I recall) and took in some fifteen millions in donations. It should surprise no one that it not only was a scam, but that money got skimmed even though Bannon and other organizers swore, ‘honest folks!’ they wouldn’t take a single penny. MAGAs as you know tend to be rather gullible so it was sweet while it lasted. However, the feds looked into the whole thing and wrote up charges. Since it was the feds and he had the power Trump pardoned Bannon (probably in case he thought Bannon would come in handy during the campaign) and the two of them thought that was that. Probably even had a good laugh about it.
However, as this article from Reuters tells us their celebration might well have been premature. While Bannon might have been off the hook with the feds, there was nothing to prevent Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg from charging Bannon using pretty much the same evidence the feds were going to use against him at trial. So, back in Sept. 2022 Bragg’s office did exactly that. Bannon of course wound up filing a motion (in Dec. 2023) to dismiss the charges. It took a long, long while but as I’ve noted the not-so-mighty Bannon has struck out. No doubt his lawyers will try to file more motions to if not dismiss then delay things but it’s hard to see at this point how he avoids having to show up in Court on Dec. 9 and hear his case called. Oh the sweet sounds of “The State of New York vs. Steven Bannon’ will be music to our ears. Or would be if courts there allowed cameras or recording devices.
It just occurred to me Bannon might have another problem. Since Trump is making the border such a big deal these days and since Bannon is locked up and can’t be at his side (or out supposedly on his own) helping him a border wall scam might not be something he (Trump) wants in the news. Motions to delay the trial or dismiss the charges are I suspect something Trump would rather stay under the proverbial rug. Of course HIS problem is that from Bannon’s view Trump can’t do a damned thing for him since he’s facing STATE charges. Bannon will throw Trump under the bus just as fast as Trump has (and would do again) to him to serve his own needs. Put a pin in that because it could make for some unexpected fireworks.
Anyway, if you want details on the charges and why Bannon is in some deep sh*t check out the linked article. The basics of the indictment allege that We Build the Wall promised all the donations would go to actual wall building. AND that no one at the foundation would make any money from the thing but that Bannon concealed shoveling hundreds of thousands of dollars to the CEO of the operation. Brian Kolfage, a decorated Air Force veteran promised to take no salary. According to Bannon donors didn’t care whether ‘some’ funds went to those running We Build the Wall.
Bragg’s response to Bannon’s motion to dismiss point to texts showing In a Jan. 5 response, Bragg’s office said Bannon’s text messages and emails made clear he knew money from We Build the Wall was going to Kolfage despite Kolfage’s statements to donors that he would “not take a penny of compensation.” That’s not the worst of it for Bannon:
Kolfage, 42, pleaded guilty in April 2023 to federal fraud and tax charges. He admitted to using more than $350,000 in donor money for expenses such as a boat, a luxury SUV, jewelry and cosmetic surgery. He is serving a 4-1/4 year prison sentence.
I don’t know about you, but what Kolfage spent the money Bannon grifted him sure as hell doesn’t sound like reasonable expenses to me. I suspect we’ll be hearing from him at Bannon’s trial. However, even THAT might not be the worst of it for Bannon. Let’s for a moment allow ourselves to indulge in happy thoughts. By that I mean twelve New Yorkers not being swayed by Bannon’s bullshit any more than they were by Trump’s at HIS criminal trial in Manhattan.
Let’s suppose Bannon finds himself convicted on STATE charges. Even if he somehow gets back in the WH Trump can’t pardon him. Now keep in mind Bannon has been convicted of Contempt of Congress and will have completed a four month sentence. If convicted in Manhattan he won’t be a first time offender! Once a person has a criminal record (and acceptance of a pardon carries with it acceptance of guilt for the crimes a person was pardoned for. Two SCOTUS rulings set that precedent) Bannon will have TWO prior offensives on his record. That folks will mitigate towards a more severe punishment when the time for sentencing rolls around. As long as we’re having some fun imaging Bannon being so completely screwed let’s REALLY go to town.
What if Bragg files a motion that Bannon is a flight risk and should be detained while awaiting sentencing? Sound crazy? Think about it. Bannon is rich. He’s got homes abroad and I’ll guarantee you has, just in case set up something cushy in a non-extradition country. He’s got the means to pay whomever (probably has Erik Prince on speed dial) to mount an operation to get him offshore and outside the twelve mile limit where the Coast Guard can stop his boat. Bragg could if he wants to present a pretty compelling argument for Bannon, a previously convicted felon facing several years or more in prison is a flight risk. That simply taking his passport and slapping an ankle monitor won’t stop Bannon fleeing to a place where we can’t get at him.
I will think about this when I head to bed in a while. Thoughts of Bannon being “hooked up” (handcuffed) right there at the defense table and remanded into custody just might make for a good night’s sleep with fun dreams.
Oh, goodie. It’s my birthday, too, what a present!!!
I was just thinking that Bannon is much like his buddy tRump. He seems just as ignorant, greedy and arrogant as TFG. One of “only the best people”.
At least in prison he was deloused and washed.
Oh, come on, now.
What self-respecting louse would set up a home on the natural repellent that is Steve Bannon?
“(and acceptance of a pardon carries with it acceptance of guilt for the crimes a person was pardoned for. Two SCOTUS rulings set that precedent)”
I got to this point and started chuckling.
Denis, Denis, Denis. You think the current SCOTUS cares a whit about “precedent?” Even if the current SCOTUS rules in one way today, there’s NO expectation they would rely on that “precedent” to rule the same way tomorrow. (Oh, our GOOD justices–Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson–would, simply because they’re, well, good. Though it would be nice to see them turn the tables on the wicked justices, especially Thomas and Alito, by ignoring precedent in a few cases, I really don’t see the Terrific Trio just ignoring the idea of precedent for the same purely spiteful, ideologically-driven reasons the rest of the Court, especially the Dastardly Duo, so often do.)
Thoughts of Sloppy Steve in the slammer bring much-needed schadenfreude but we need more: we need some juicy details. Surely some intrepid reporter has contacts in Danbury, either inmate or staff, and can enlighten us as to how ol’ Steve’s faring. Maybe even some photos. We need to see if he got a standard prison hairdo and a shave. We need to see how the prison dress code impacts his personna. And we need to learn if he’s survived the shower block.
Maybe now he’s “Two Jumpsuits” Bannon? That would be a pretty funny thing to see. More likely it’s two t-shirts although he might want three given that I’m pretty sure prison undies are thinner than what he’ likely used to.
Maybe need to see if the showers (showering area) itself survived his usage. 😬👀
I like to imagine the shower block’s still echoing his screams …