Post by andie on Jan 5, 2018 1:54:29 GMT
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-04/mercer-issues-statement-cutting-ties-to-bannon-post-reports
Rebekah Mercer Formally Cuts Ties With Bannon After Trump Phone Call
This sure put a big dent in Bannon's day. The Mercers are cutting him off.
"Steve Bannon’s main financial backer, conservative donor Rebekah Mercer, cut ties with him Thursday shortly after she spoke by phone with President Donald Trump, according to two people familiar with the call.
But there was no sign that the White House has succeeded in pushing Bannon out of his leadership of the conservative Breitbart News website. Insiders said he was doing business as usual there on Thursday and showed no signs of leaving the organization.
Still, the rebuke from a former close ally of Bannon shows the deepening rift between Trump and his former chief strategist following release of excerpts from a book by author Michael Wolff in which Bannon is quoted criticizing the president and insulting the Trump family. Among other statements, he called meetings between Trump family members and Russian operatives during the election campaign ”treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”
Mercer and her father, investor Robert Mercer, former co-chief executive officer of the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, are among the the most important financial supporters of conservative Republican causes and a key source of Bannon’s influence.
Rebekah Mercer and Trump spoke by phone Thursday afternoon, said the two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private call. Shortly afterward, Mercer issued the statement.
"I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected," Mercer said in the statement. "My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements.".
Rebekah Mercer Formally Cuts Ties With Bannon After Trump Phone Call
This sure put a big dent in Bannon's day. The Mercers are cutting him off.
"Steve Bannon’s main financial backer, conservative donor Rebekah Mercer, cut ties with him Thursday shortly after she spoke by phone with President Donald Trump, according to two people familiar with the call.
But there was no sign that the White House has succeeded in pushing Bannon out of his leadership of the conservative Breitbart News website. Insiders said he was doing business as usual there on Thursday and showed no signs of leaving the organization.
Still, the rebuke from a former close ally of Bannon shows the deepening rift between Trump and his former chief strategist following release of excerpts from a book by author Michael Wolff in which Bannon is quoted criticizing the president and insulting the Trump family. Among other statements, he called meetings between Trump family members and Russian operatives during the election campaign ”treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”
Mercer and her father, investor Robert Mercer, former co-chief executive officer of the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, are among the the most important financial supporters of conservative Republican causes and a key source of Bannon’s influence.
Rebekah Mercer and Trump spoke by phone Thursday afternoon, said the two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private call. Shortly afterward, Mercer issued the statement.
"I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected," Mercer said in the statement. "My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements.".
