Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey: Fire Steve Bannon
As furor continued over Donald Trump’s appointment of alt-right firebrand Steve Bannon to a top post in his administration, Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey took aim.
Speaking at a Washington press conference flanked by Democratic senators and a big blue sign reading “FIRE BANNON,” Markey accused the former Breitbart head of emboldening white nationalists around the country, and said there was no place for someone like him in the White House. Bannon has been named Trump’s chief strategist.
“Steve Bannon has fueled the rhetoric and the activities of hate groups that actively promote violence against immigrants, Muslims, women, African-Americans, the LGBTQ community and people of the Jewish faith,” Markey said. “Donald Trump has to banish the Bannons of this world from his administration. The alt-right is all wrong for America.”
LIVE on #Periscope: Calling on @realDonaldTrump to forcefully renounce acts of hate with @SenJeffMerkley, @maziehir… https://t.co/x95AG4eZH2
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 15, 2016
Warren was not at the press conference with Markey, but she took to Twitter—her favorite outlet for challenging Trump and his affiliates online—to call the president-elect out on the appointment.
“The President of the United States should condemn bigots,” she said. “Not give them a West Wing office to decide our country’s future.”
Steve Bannon promoted white nationalism, @realDonaldTrump. He’s been praised by KKK supporters & denounced by @splcenter & @ADL_National .
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 15, 2016
The President of the United States should condemn bigots, @realDonaldTrump. Not give them a West Wing office to decide our country’s future.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 15, 2016
She also publicized a letter she sent to him criticizing those he has tapped for his transition team, accusing the president-elect of not keeping promises to his supporters that he would “drain the swamp” of insiders in the capital. The group of people he’s asked to help him staff the White House include bankers and lobbyists from various industries. She promised to be a thorn in his side and to monitor him closely—which will probably come as no surprise given the amount of time she spend tangling with him on Twitter and calling him a “bully” in speeches during the campaign.
“Let me be clear,” she wrote. “Should you refuse, I will oppose you, every step of the way, for the next four years. I will champion the millions of Americans you will fail to protect. I will track your every move, and I will remind Americans, every day, of the actions you take that fail them. And I will not be the only one watching. The millions of Americans who voted for you – and the millions who didn’t – will all be watching you.”
