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Former Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon gave a dire warning to Democrats on the same day he was indicted by a federal grand jury.
On his “War Room” podcast on Friday Bannon said that Republicans are taking over elections nationwide.
He spoke directly about Trump’s claims of impropriety in the 2020 presidential election, saying “We’re not complaining about it anymore.”
“Remember, there are no whining and no tears in the War Room. We’re taking action, and that action is, we’re taking over school boards, we’re taking over the Republican Party through the precinct committee strategy, we’re taking over all the elections,” the host said.
He noted the victory of Glenn Youngkin who won the Nov. 2nd gubernatorial race in Virginia evn after the state voted for Joe Biden in the presidential election in 2020.
“Suck on this: Ninety-five percent of the billets in Virginia were occupied of election officials and poll watchers, and that is a principal reason that we secured the election of Youngkin, OK?” he said.
Dictionary.com defines a billet as “lodging for a soldier, student, etc., as in a private home or nonmilitary public building.”
“They’re there to have a free and fair count. And we’re going to continue that. And we’re gonna get to the bottom of three November, and we’re going to decertify the electors, OK?” he continued, echoing Trump’s claim that the results of the 2020 election will one day somehow be reversed,” the host said.
“And you’re going to have a constitutional crisis. But you know what? We’re a big and tough country, and we can handle that. We’ll be able to handle that. We’ll get through that,” he said.
Steve Bannon: "We're taking over all the elections" pic.twitter.com/Sh2KN5phYM
— Media Matters (@mmfa) November 12, 2021
After the show Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that Bannon had been indicted by a federal grand jury for contempt of Congress, CNN reported.
“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the Department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law, and pursues equal justice under the law,” he said. “Today’s charges reflect the Department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”
Bannon, 67, was charged with one count related to his refusal to appear for a deposition and another related to his refusal to produce documents. Each count carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, the Justice Department said.
A prosecutor with the US attorney’s office presented evidence to the grand jury on Friday, CNN was able to confirm. Prosecutors on Friday afternoon presented an indictment and arrest warrant to federal Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather.
The judge signed the warrant for an indicted defendant with the initials “SB,” according to CNN reporters in the courtroom. A source familiar with the matter confirmed SB was Steve Bannon. Soon after, the Justice Department announced that Bannon had been indicted.
Without an indictment, critics have said, there’s doubt over how much power the House January 6 select committee would have to compel cooperation from former White House and Trump administration officials. On Friday, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows failed to appear for a deposition, sources familiar with the investigation told CNN, setting up a potential showdown that could lead to the panel beginning a criminal referral process against him as well.
Maryland Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin appeared on CNN to discuss the indictment.
“The grand jury was presented with overwhelming and irrefutable evidence of Steve Bannon’s violation of a congressional subpoena,” he said.
“The justice system of the United States is not going to tolerate these contemptuous violations of the rule of law,” he said.
