Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) explained on CNN that Steve Bannon is not a member of the cabinet and is no longer in the White House, so his claims of executive privilege on questions about Russia are worthless.
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Blumenthal said, “And that claim of executive privilege will have no validity if it’s ever tested in the courts if he drives it to that point…Because he’s not a member of the cabinet. And he is no longer there. He basically has no valid claim to defy the judicial process, to say that he is somehow immune, that he has a legal shield from valid corporation at this point.”
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Bannon has two points working against him. He wasn’t a member of the cabinet when he worked in the White House, and he is no longer working in the White House. According to Sen. Blumenthal, even if Trump tried to claim executive privilege to cover Bannon, it wouldn’t hold up.
In other words, Steve Bannon is screwed. He is going to have to answer questions that it looks on the surface like he doesn’t want to answer. Bannon could be looking to use a subpoena as cover to lend the appearance that he only talked because he was forced to, but Steve Bannon looks like he is toast.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
