Bannon using ‘Breitbart’ in his political crusade
News organization lifts pro-Trump candidates
Out of the White WASHINGTON House, Steve Bannon has recaptured his news organization as a tool for his holy war against establishment lawmakers, including those in the president’s own party.
Following President Trump’s election, Breitbart News was trying to convince the congressional press galleries that it is an independent news organization and deserved credentials to cover Capitol Hill with the same level of access as other mainstream news outlets. But since Bannon left his job as chief strategist to Trump this summer and returned to Breitbart as its executive chairman, he appears to have closely tied the newsroom’s muscle to his personal political crusade.
Bannon and his allies have gone to war against the establishment wing of both parties and are getting behind a slate of anti-establishment, pro-Trump candidates across the country for the 2018 midterm elections. At the same time, Breitbart is offering glowing coverage to the group of challengers. A recent article written by Washington political editor Matthew Boyle called them “the League of Extraordinary Candidates.”
Michael Grimm, a former congressman who went to prison for tax evasion, came to Washington, D.C., this month seeking Bannon’s support in his run for his old congressional seat. Boyle sat in with Bannon and his allies for the meeting, according to Grimm aide Michael Caputo, who also attended.
The meeting took place in the Capitol Hill townhouse where Bannon lives and works. Previously, it was listed as Breitbart’s D.C. office.
Caputo said Boyle was behaving in the meeting as a reporter who had been invited to observe rather than participate.
Boyle “didn’t ask questions, but as the meeting turned from ‘Who are you and should we support you?’ to ‘ OK we’re going to support you. What are we gonna to do for you?’ he got more involved in the discussions,” Caputo said.
“It seemed to me like he gained interest and he said, ‘Look, this is something that fits into our editorial direction. How can we work together?’ ”
It is not uncommon for reporters to sit in on editorial board meetings with lawmakers or candidates. But they do not participate in any of the board’s decision-making.
“While I don’t think the meeting was reported on by Breitbart (at the time), it gave birth to further stories,” Caputo told USA TODAY.
He pointed to Grimm’s interview with Boyle on Breitbart’s radio show a few days after the initial huddle.
Breitbart has never denied that it is a conservative news outlet, and it has been credited with fueling the movement that elected Trump. Bannon left Breitbart last summer to help run Trump’s campaign.
He went with Trump to the White House and resigned from Breitbart but returned to the news organization after he was forced out of the White House.
Still, Bannon seems aware of the importance of publicly separating the media outlet and his own political strategy. At least, to some degree.
Kelli Ward, who is running against Republican Sen. Jeff Flake in Arizona, got Bannon’s support during a campaign rally Tuesday night when he spoke to conservative activists and called Ward the “whirlwind” headed toward the GOP elite.
Ward told USA TODAY she has met with Bannon many times and that his support and Breitbart’s positive coverage is “of course” helpful because Arizona is a conservative state.
This month, a person who works closely with Bannon told USA TODAY that the outlet had every intention of getting involved in the 2018 races and digging up dirt on the establishment candidates regardless of party. But the person also said that while Breitbart has a point of view, the outlet would never publish anything that wasn’t accurate. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to be able to describe Breitbart’s aims.