Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D.) today urged President-elect Donald Trump to reverse his appointment of Steve Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, as chief White House strategist and senior counsel because of his association with the Alt-right.
“We cannot bring the country together by inviting into the White House the same bigotry and hate speech that divided us on the campaign trail,” Mr. Brown said in a statement released today.
“This is not about a difference in policy or politics — Steve Bannon has promoted anti-Semitic, racist, misogynistic and dangerous views that have emboldened white nationalist forces and caused some Americans to question whether they can still feel safe in the country we all love. President-elect Trump told us he wants to be a President for ‘all Americans’ and he cannot do that while empowering bigotry that targets and threatens many of them. Steve Bannon must be removed from his position immediately,” Mr. Brown said.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a hate-watch group, has called Mr. Bannon the “main driver behind Breitbart becoming a white ethno-nationalist propaganda mill.”
The Donald Trump for President campaign did not return a phone call or email on Monday on this subject and has not done so today.
On Monday, Ohio Republican Chairman Matt Borges said, “It’s time for us to come together as a party and a country. Congratulations once again to Donald Trump and his team. We wish him nothing but the best of luck as he prepares to lead the country.”
However, John Weaver, chief strategist for Ohio Gov. John Kasich during his unsuccessful run for the Republican presidential nomination this year, Tweeted Sunday that, “The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office. Be very vigilant America.”
Ohio Democratic Chairman David Pepper said Monday that Mr. Bannon ”has stoked the flames of misogyny, racism, homophobia, and anti-Semitism. Americans of every political persuasion and every race, color, and creed should be concerned by Trump’s actions in bringing Bannon into the White House.”
Mr. Bannon was appointed to the post on Sunday. Also appointed Sunday was Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as Mr. Trump’s chief of staff.
Contact Tom Troy: tomtroy@theblade.com or 419-724-6058 or on Twitter @TomFTroy.
First Published November 15, 2016, 9:34 p.m.
