The Daily Beast has a write-up on the largely overlooked big day coming tomorrow, Bannon’s interrogation in front of the House investigation. The article highlights the unique areas which Bannon might well face tough questions that could break loose much needed evidence. Of particular interest is the peculiar intersection between Kushner and Cambridge Analytics, an area that has received far too little examination in the media and, from what I can see from the outside, too little from both House and Senate committees.
And then there’s Cambridge Analytica. The data analytics firm rose to prominence during the 2016 Republican primaries. Its head, Alexander Nix, is close with Rebekah Mercer, who has funded Breitbart. Mercer partially owns Cambridge, and Bannon has worked closely with the company as well ...
The House intelligence committee has zeroed in on the Kremlin’s efforts to persuade and misinform American voters using online targeting. This has made the Trump campaign’s data operation a key focal point for them. The fact that Bannon worked closely with Cambridge Analytica –– and that Jared Kushner also once boasted to Forbes about his role on the data front –– means the tech side of Trump World could also be a topic.
Bannon is so damn whiny and needy that he did all he could to get back into Trump’s good graces in the last couple weeks. Trump is so arrogant and shiftless that he has rejected those advances in total, which brings us to an interesting point in the dynamic.
Bannon has absolutely no need to curry any favor with Trump, that ship has sailed. And Bannon is likely still smarting from the loss of his perch at Breitbart. He has reportedly always despised Kushner, and Trump’s idiot sons. If one were lining up a devastating dynamic which might compel some real testimony into the meat of the Russia probe, it would be hard to do better.
Yes, Bannon must protect himself, but there is no reason to think he won’t sell “the boys” down the river if he sees an opening. I am keen to learn what the fk Kushner was doing with his computer work with the Mercers, it is easy to see them being at the intersection of a cyber campaign originating in Russia and any number of forks into the campaign. If Russia offered “assistance” in exchange for Trump’s commitment to sanctions and other help. the cyber assistance would almost surely pass through Cambridge.
And then there’s this:
However, the interview will almost certainly touch on the substance of that particular meeting, which Trump Jr. had at Trump Tower in June of 2016 with a Kremlin-linked lawyer. Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner joined that meeting as well.
Bannon told Michael Wolff that he thought the Americans who took that meeting were “treasonous.”
Bannon added, “They’re going to crack Don Jr. like an egg on national TV.”
Someone credible needs to settle 2 critical points on that meeting:
1. What was discussed (obviously), was there a quid pro quo accepted?
2. Was Trump there, or participating in some way, even by text?
Bannon must step very carefully, it’s a wonder he hasn’t been charged by Mueller already. And, it is not good that Bannon is represented by the firm that has represented Priebus and some others. Such a dynamic allows his attorneys to craft a narrative among clients.
Still, Bannon represents a fresh danger to Trump, now that he is free and clear of all control, all need to kneel at the Trump alter, any reason to provide Trump cover, and Bannon is wounded, very wounded.
Perhaps Bannon will take it upon himself to wound those closest to Trump, or even attempt a take down of Trump himself.