Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The next time the wall wtreet journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

This fight is for everything.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

“But what about the lurkers?”

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

I did not have telepathic declassification on my 2022 bingo card.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Friday Evening Open Thread: Steve Bannon, One Step Closer to Jail

Friday Evening Open Thread: Steve Bannon, One Step Closer to Jail

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… U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols allowed Bannon to stay free pending appeal, a potentially lengthy process, and also imposed a fine of $6,500 as part of the sentence. Bannon was convicted in July of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition and the other for refusing to provide documents…

“In my view, Mr. Bannon has not taken responsibility for his actions,” Nichols said before he imposed the sentence. “Others must be deterred from committing similar crimes.”

The House panel had sought Bannon’s testimony over his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Bannon has yet to testify or provide any documents to the committee.

Prosecutors argued Bannon, 68, deserved the longer sentence because he had pursued a “bad faith strategy” and his public statements disparaging the committee itself made it clear he wanted to undermine their effort to get to the bottom of the violent attack and keep anything like it from happening again.

“He chose to hide behind fabricated claims of executive privilege and advice of counsel to thumb his nose at Congress,” said prosecutor J.P. Cooney.

“Your honor, the defendant is not above the law and that is exactly what makes this case important,” Cooney said. “It must be made clear to the public, to the citizens, that no one is above the law.”

The defense, meanwhile, said he wasn’t acting in bad faith, but trying to avoid running afoul of executive privilege objections Trump had raised when Bannon was first served with a committee subpoena last year. The onetime presidential adviser said he wanted to have a Trump lawyer in the room, but the committee wouldn’t allow it…

Prosecutors had pushed for the maximum fine, saying Bannon refused to answer routine questions about his income and insisted he could pay whatever the judge imposed. The judge, though, found the short answers were an effort to spare court staff a lengthy effort of tracing Bannon’s finances and imposed a smaller fine.

Bannon has also argued that he had offered to testify after Trump waived executive privilege. But that was after the contempt charges were filed, and prosecutors say he would only agree to give the deposition if the case was dropped.

Bannon is also facing separate money laundering, fraud and conspiracy charges in New York related to the “We Build the Wall” campaign. Bannon has pleaded not guilty…


Previously:

Reader Interactions

84Comments

  1. 1.

    Suzanne

    Is there even one bit of photographic evidence that the man has ever, even one time, eaten an un-fried vegetable?!

  2. 2.

    West of the Cascades

    Joe Biden is my hero. The MSM could learn a thing or two from his attitude about Bannon.

  3. 3.

    Scout211

    Dark Brandon: “I never have a reaction to Steve Bannon.”

    Dark Brandon is very sharp and has the best reactions.

  4. 4.

    Suzanne

    I love how Joey B brings the snark. Honestly, that is my favorite part of him. More please.

    “Do you have a reaction to the Steve Bannon news?”

    “Can someone send him a care package of Neutrogena products in prison?”

  8. 8.

    Anne Laurie

    @Suzanne: “Can someone send him a care package of Neutrogena products in prison?”

    I honestly think Bannon’s going for the I AM SHOWING UP AT YOUR MANDATED FUNCTION LOOKING LIKE A SURLY PILE OF UNWASHED LAUNDRY BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME vibe.  You know, like a teenager at his least favorite aunt’s funeral.

    It’s offputting for normal adults, but it doesn’t seem to hurt him with the MAGAts, who admire his ‘alpha manhood’.

    Bannon’s fascinated with television, and Gawd knows the ‘fat, undergroomed male lead with the hot wife’ is an ever-popular sitcom trope.   And then there’s Seth Rogen’s whole career…

  9. 9.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Former Appellate Attorney Teri Kanefield: The judge actually stuck it to him. If the judge departs from the guidelines or is unreasonable, an appeal will succeed and Bannon will win.

  10. 10.

    Suzanne

    @Anne Laurie:

    It’s offputting for normal adults, but it doesn’t seem to hurt him with the MAGAts, who admire his ‘alpha manhood’. 

    Well, he apparently cannot maintain a relationship (shocker), so I hope the MAGA turds also enjoy eating frozen pizza, on the couch, alone.

  11. 11.

    danielx

    @Anne Laurie:

    I AM SHOWING UP AT YOUR MANDATED FUNCTION LOOKING LIKE A SURLY PILE OF UNWASHED LAUNDRY BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME

    I’ve never seen him looking any other way. He looks like a particularly unpleasant version of shouty drunk guy at the end of the bar.

  12. 12.

    Gin & Tonic

    Neither Bannon nor anyone named Trump will ever spend a minute in prison. You can take that to the bank.

  14. 14.

    Suzanne

    From the previous thread, in which we were also discussing Steve Bannon’s general air of crustiness, I wanted to provide my Helpful Hint about how to stay un-gross without spending exorbitant sums on fancy body scrubs.

    1) Get some coconut oil and sugar

    2) Mix them together so you have a gritty consistency

    3) Feel free to add drops of essential oil or cooking extract for a nice fragrance

    4) Rub this on your whole self in the shower and rinse off

    5) Don’t be ashy or crusty.

  16. 16.

    Suzanne

    Should also note that this can be improvised! I sometimes use brown sugar, shea or cocoa butter mixed in, Vitamin E oil, etc. It is excellent for shaving and doesn’t feel nasty like foamy shaving creams. Body scrub products are stupidly expensive, but this is not.

  21. 21.

    Ken

    @Gin & Tonic: Soap also sounds less like a recipe from To Serve Man.

    EDIT: Especially the brown sugar version. That’s not a cleansing scrub, that’s barbeque sauce.

  24. 24.

    Suzanne

    @Dan B: I am sure she mixes nice moisturizers in her formulations. Purer soaps like Ivory are pretty drying.

    My skin is sensitive AF and I have had allergic reactions to skin care products, makeup, clothing, detergents, etc. But I also like having nice skin, while saving dollaz. Love a good exfoliating scrub, hate spending $50!

  25. 25.

    Suzanne

    @Ken: Body scrub is not for cleansing, it’s for exfoliating and moisturizing. You’re supposed to use it after you cleanse so you don’t get ashy!

  26. 26.

    Suzanne

    @West of the Rockies: He just looks like a stinking drunk.

    I remember in grad school, one of my professors sat next to me in our studio, and I could barely breathe, he had so much alcohol on his breath and, like, oozing out of his pores. It was disgusting. It was also just after lunch. Ludicrous.

  27. 27.

    Ken

    @Suzanne: But if I exfoliate, the other men will think I’m weak and murder me to take my gold and women and sheep.

    (Worst Settlers of Catan variant ever.)

  28. 28.

    Steve in the ATL

    Related question: any restaurant recommendations for Sioux City, Iowa?

    Surely there’s an Olive Garden there!

  29. 29.

    Quiltingfool

    Looking at the top photo of Bannon (yeah, I know, blech), I’m thinking that guy either has Type 2 diabetes and has to take insulin injections or, more likely, he’s got some serious liver problems going on.  I’ve seen guys with a gut like that and then find out they are in line for a liver transplant.

    Not a doctor, and I most certainly could be wrong.  It could just be his genetic body type (that one gets from excessive drinking and poor food choices).

    I’m 4 years younger than that guy, and I think, My God!  I’m no fresh-face spring chicken, but he looks like shit.  Kids, that’s what years of hard drinkin’ looks like.

  30. 30.

    Bill Arnold

    Dark Brandon: “I never have a reaction to Steve Bannon.”

    Perfect!
    (I confess to extreme loathing of Steve Bannon.)

  34. 34.

    Suzanne

    @Quiltingfool: SuzMom is four years older than that guy and looks, like, 15 years younger. And she has had her own health and lifestyle troubles. He looks like he actively tried to live fast and die young and failed at the second part, to all of our detriment.

  35. 35.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Would anyone be willing to offer a critique for my generic postcard message I’m planning on using? I’m not provided with any talking points and my postcards are fairly large:

    As I’m sure you’re aware, this November midterm election, is an incredibly important one. All of the rights we’ve taken for granted all of our lives are under threat, even our very democracy. You can stop this with your vote and continue the Democratic agenda that has benefited workers, veterans, and everyone in-between. Voting for (insert candidate here) will do that by protecting our House majority. (Optional mention of early voting if it exists).

    Thanks for being a voter!

  38. 38.

    Suzanne

    For those who do not want to look like Steve Bannon, who seems to have singlehandedly given rise to humanpox, here are some more suggestions for how to make a nice DIY scrub.

    According to the American Academy of Dermatology, exfoliation can leave your skin looking brighter because it removes the top layer of dead skin cells. It can also stimulate the production of collagen, which may help your skin stay firm and radiant.

    Another benefit of exfoliation is that it can improve the efficacy of topical treatments. If you exfoliate your skin before applying a cream, for example, the cream will be able to penetrate more deeply instead of sitting on the surface.

  43. 43.

    Ruckus

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    It isn’t all that far out of a possibility.

    Money can keep one out of jail for a long time and he likely has at least access to a more than necessary amount, what with his seemingly large efforts spent not to shower or purchase soap.

    @Suzanne:

    I’m 5 yrs older than him and do not look anywhere near as old and decrepit. And I live in a seniors apartment complex, one of my neighbors is 96 and has more life in her and looks better than SFB II.

  44. 44.

    Suzanne

    @eclare: Roughly 2 parts sugar to one part oil, but it’s totally up to you. I like it more “scrubby”. When Mr. Suzanne makes it (because I got him hooked on it because it is great for the scalp and he shaves his head), he likes it more oily. I seriously just grab a mixing bowl and throw stuff in and stir, and it’s always worked. Just don’t slip in the shower! Rinse the shower floor well.

  45. 45.

    Scout211

    Lindsey is asking SCOTUS to get him out of testifying. Link

    These Trumpies believe that the rules don’t apply to them. And that SCOTUS justices are just sitting around waiting for their call . . .

    CNN — 
    Sen. Lindsey Graham asked the Supreme Court on Friday to block a subpoena from the Atlanta-area special grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
    The South Carolina Republican filed the emergency request at the high court after the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower-court judge on Thursday that the grand jury could seek his testimony.

  47. 47.

    dm

    @danielx:

    I’ve never seen him looking any other way. He looks like a particularly unpleasant version of shouty drunk guy at the end of the bar.

    I was surprised at how civilized he looked in Errol  Morris’s American Dharma. Despite the subject matter (the thinking of Steve Bannon), was an interesting film, in a “Know your enemy” kind of way.

    Made me want to watch Twelve O’clock High, which Bannon thought was an allegory of something or other, but otherwise sounded like a decent movie.

  50. 50.

    eclare

    @Suzanne:   Thanks!  The shower floor is an issue, though.  I live in an old house with a porcelain tub, and it becomes slippery approx one day after I clean it.  I’ll have to think about it.

    Good luck on the trip home!  Just think, you’ll have a new coffee (elixir of life) maker to play with once you get there!

  51. 51.

    Suzanne

    @eclare: Yeah yeah, maybe only use it if you’re taking a bath or you have one of those no-slip mats (which I have because I had a family member take a terrible fall once, though not due to body scrub).

    I am sitting here thinking about the coffeemaker and was seriously just looking at ordering new coffee for it. Must! Resist! Boredom shopping is bad!

  52. 52.

    Ken

    @Ruckus: Jeffrey Epstein had money too, and it didn’t keep him out of jail.

    Another thing Epstein’s said to have in common with Bannon is dirt on a lot of rich guys…

  53. 53.

    eclare

    @Suzanne:   I have some no-slip decals, but they don’t cover the whole shower floor.  I’ll try it at least once though.

    Nah, order new good coffee, the coffee maker deserves it!

  55. 55.

    Subsole

    LOL at that last tweet.

    “Your patrons have all left you in the red,

    Your low-rent friends are dead,

    this life can be very strange…”

     

     

    @KenK: Go look at pics of Alex Jones and marvel at the fact he isn’t even 50…

  56. 56.

    Mousebumples

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    Simplify! Also, if you’re concise, you can write more postcards,

    The November 8 election is incredibly important. Rights we’ve taken for granted all of our lives are under threat, including our  democracy. Your vote has the power to stop this. Voting for (insert candidate here) will do that by protecting our House majority. (Optional mention of early voting if it exists – Vote early in person starting DATE {or DATE X-Y} for the NOVEMBER 8 election.). Please vote your full ballot from start to end to elect all Democrats running. 

    Thanks for being a voter!

    I added the line in bold. And offered possible phrasing for the early voting line.

    Happy postcarding!

  57. 57.

    Suzanne

    @eclare: Coffee shopping is such a rabbit hole. Usually I just get whatever is the least expensive whole bean at Costco. But maybe I want to try a subscription service and change it up?

    Oh Lord. There is a dude on this train who sounds like he is about to hack up a chunk of lung.

  60. 60.

    NoraLenderbee

    My browser replaces every instance of “sweaty dirtbag” with “sweaty dirtbag” and it’s never been funnier than in this thread.

  62. 62.

    topclimber

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    @Mousebumples:

    I think Mousebumples hit the high points, but I would suggest you keep something positive about the Dem agenda. Maybe

    …including our democracy itself. Your vote can help protect us and also advance the benefits to workers, veterans and health care users that our Democratic majority fights for everyday.

    Etc.

  67. 67.

    Suzanne

    @stacib: Apparently basic nutrition and not drinking oneself into an early grave are liberal coastal elite beta cuck behaviors now.

  71. 71.

    Steeplejack

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    Take Mousebumples’s shortened text and start writing your postcards! The election is two weeks from this Tuesday. You have been dithering over paper and card stock and workshopping your text for what seems like weeks. With the possibly still hampered USPS, you might be lucky if they even get there before the election. So you can drop the stuff about early voting. Even shorter text!

  74. 74.

    Baud

    @James E Powell:

    Temporary stay to allow states to brief request for longer stay pending appeal of dismissal in standing grounds.  Shouldn’t have happened, but not a merits decision yet.

  75. 75.

    a thousand flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    @Suzanne:

    A representative from the Federated Union of Boils, Canker Sores, Nodules, and pustules would like a word, as would a representative of the Amalgamated Union of Acnes  and Rosaceas.  They both say their membership is more hurt than angry.

  78. 78.

    rekoob

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Running behind others, of course, but a great narrative and you get the points out effectively. A postcard may lend itself to a staccato message:

    • You Can Make The Difference — This election is about reproductive rights and the democracy we hold dear [feel free to break this up]
    • Our Candidates are Fighting for You — [Name] is on the ballot for [Position] and will deliver for all of us
    • Your Vote Counts — Have a plan to get you, your family, friends, and others to the polls for victory!

    [Just in case it’s not clear — emphasize the “You” and “Your” whenever possible — underlining/bold.]

    Throw in a tiny green balloon in the upper left corner, and sign it with “Toward a more perfect Union” and your name “A Kindred Spirit”, and that might be a good start. Edit/adapt to your own stylings, of course.

  79. 79.

    satby

    You people are killing me

    @Suzanne: mixing shea or cocoa butter in is better for your skin, straight coconut oil is drying to the skin long term. And I can bore you to tears with the chemistry of why (MCT attracting oils out of your skin), but just because it’s oily doesn’t mean it’s moisturizing. Just occlusive.

    @Gin & Tonic: A properly made soap is superfatted, so not drying, and used with an exfoliating sponge or cloth can be just fine. If your grocery store bar does not say “soap” (body bar, deoderant bar, facial bar, etc) it’s not soap. “Soap” is an FDA regulated term for saponified fats and oils. The others are basically detergents and conditioners.

    @Dan B: Thanks.

  81. 81.

    Gretchen

    @eclare: Yes, I’ve had issues with the slippery shower floor after using body scrubs too. I haven’t figured out how to avoid that yet.

  83. 83.

    satby

    @Gretchen: email me: skinluvvers {at} g mail {dot} com. My Etsy store is linked in my nym, but I don’t list sugars scrubs on there now.

    and I’m heading to bed, 5 am for the market comes early.

    BTW, I make sugar scrubs, so I’m not anti them.  Just anti-the internet mania for putting straight coconut oil on everything.

  84. 84.

    WaterGirl

    @Gretchen: Ever since I broke my ankle a few years ago, I put two washcloths on the floor of the tub before I get into the shower.  I stand on those while I shower and then wash them with my towels when I am done.

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