We’ll say this for the ongoing political sideshow that’s swiftly replaced our regular governmental leadership over the last year: At least they occasionally put on a hell of a show. ABC News reports tonight that Donald Trump is now threatening legal action against his old buddy and campaign manager, Steve Bannon, serving up a cease and desist letter to the Breitbart head honcho over comments he made in an upcoming book about Trump and his family.
The letter was delivered to Bannon by attorney Charles Harder, who threatened him with news that “legal action is imminent” in regards toa new book by journalist Michael Wolff. Harder—who represented Hulk Hogan in his lawsuit against Gawker, and is currently suing the Gizmodo Media Group in New York state court—threatened to hit Bannon with monetary damages over his statements to the author, and was reportedly writing directly on the behalf of “President Donald J. Trump and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.”
The main accusation being made against Bannon is that he violated the nondisclosure agreement all of the Trump staff had to sign during the campaign, by commenting negatively on meetings between Trump’s kids, Ivanka and Donald Jr., and Russian authorities. Bannon reportedly called the meetings “treasonous” when speaking to Wolff, who set off a major right-wing pissing contest earlier today when he released the first excerpts from his upcoming book, Fire And Fury: Inside The Trump White House.
The book’s assertions—which largely painted Trump as an easily bored bumbler, ably manipulated by Bannon—prompted a suitably pissy response from the White House earlier today, accusing the former staffer and adviser of having “lost his mind” at the same time he “lost his job.” “So,” we find ourselves thinking, as we look out over the growing wreckage of this once-beautiful partnership between Loud Stupid and Sith Lord mumbling: “This is what it feels like when doves cry.”