Bannon refuses to answer questions not pre-approved by the White House

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY OLIVIA BEAVERS - 02/15/18 02:14 PM EST

Stephen Bannon would only answer questions pre-approved by the White House during an interview Thursday with the House Intelligence Committee, lawmakers said.

Members from both parties were fuming after the interview, which lasted roughly three hours, saying Bannon had refused to answer any questions that touched on his work for President Trump after the 2016 election.

"The only questions he would answer were questions that had been scripted, literally scripted, for him by the White House. A set of 25 questions that had been written out for him to which the answer to each must be 'no,'" said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat.

Bannon invoked executive privilege when asked questions that extended beyond his list, an assertion the committee does not believe he has the grounds to make, the lawmakers said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/374071-bannon-refuses-to-answer-questions-not-pre-approved-by-white-house

[Botany]

1. But he did have to answer those ?s to Mueller

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141988690

[Maxheader]

2. Witness

a scared little man.

[enough]

3. He's counting on that pardon. NT

[rurallib]

5. boy did you nail it

he gives the finger to the committee knowing he's got a get out of jail free card (literally) in his back pocket

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. would you trust trumputin?

Bannon may be foolish enough to trust TrumPutin even after being around him all that time.
I wouldn't.

[rurallib]

9. good point - Trumpy promises, gets what he wants - then never pays up

Hope you get a nice roommate, Stevie!

[Atticus]

4. This is real simple, folks. Bannon CANNOT claim executive privilege. That

has to be asserted by Trump. Therefore, this is simply a refusal to answer. BUT----

---unless the GOP Congressmen are going to jail Bannon's skanky ass for contempt of Congress, he can continue to smirk his way through these proceedings. If he tries this crap with Mueller, Mueller will know where he's sleeping and what he's eating for some time.

[titaniumsalute]

6. OOOOORRRRRRRRRRRR He made a deal with Mueller to not answer any questions

More convenient to say that he is not answering due to WH pre-approved concerns?

[getagrip_already]

8. this!

The questions and approval to answer aren't coming from trump, they are cming from mcgann. mcgann has likely flipped for muehler, or at the very least is cooperating extensively.

The purpose of bannon not answering isn't to frustrate congress, it's to prevent trump from finding out what he told muehler.

Bannon spent 20 hours answering muehlers questions. That was after he and his lawyers provided a detailed profer. Muehler got what he needs, but he doesn't want trump to know what bannon said.

Bannon doesn't need any more crap from trump. Trump vindictively got him fired from brietbart.

[titaniumsalute]

10. You know Devin will run back to Orange One and tell him everything

Bannon doesn't want to lie to Congress obviously. So saying he's claiming some sort of Exec Priv makes sense.

[getagrip_already]

11. What's odd is that..

he wouldn't just plead the 5th. It's his right, even in a closed door congressional hearing.

It's much cleaner, and doesn't need collaboration from mcgann.

Bannon has no political future that pleading the 5th would damage. They are closed door hearings so he doesnn't need to worry about a video clip following him for the rest of his life.

I guess privilege works as well, but it has a lot more moving parts.

But it's telling that only bannon has used this tactic. Jumior is simply refusing to appear. All the other staff witnesses have answered questions, although they likely perjured themselves.

Bannon is as good as flipped. It will only be leaked if it can be used to pressure someone else. That's why we haven't heard leaks about clovis, or mcfarland. They have useful information, but they can't cause another domino to fall.

A key tell is that they have stfu in public. That is usually a part of a plea. It's why we don't hear from flynn jr.

Gates can put pressure on mannafort though.. Mannafort is now clearly aware he is almost certain to be convicted. And there are more charges to come. He is in a world of legal hurt, but I suspect he fears the russians more than he fears prison.