Hirono joins Democrats calling for Trump to fire Bannon
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Nov. 5 photo, Stephen Bannon, campaign CEO for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, looks on as Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Denver.
NEW YORK TIMES
From left: Sen.-elect Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md) with Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Ed Markey (D-Ma.) during a news conference calling on president-elect Donald Trump to drop Stephen Bannon from his administration on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono called on President-elect Donald Trump to rescind his job offer to Stephen Bannon, saying the recent Breitbart News chief had “demeaned women, advocated for white supremacy and promoted anti-Semitism.”
Trump announced on Sunday that he had tapped Bannon to be his chief strategist and senior counselor in the White House, setting off a furor among Democrats and organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League concerned about the content on the Breitbart News website and its following among those associated with the “alt right” movement, including white nationalists.
Hirono’s remarks came during a Tuesday press conference in Washington D.C. with Democratic colleagues, Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Sen.-elect Chris Van Hollen of Maryland that included a sign that read: “Fire Bannon.”
“I represent the state of Hawaii, one of the most racially and culturally diverse states in the entire country, and since the election I have said that we should judge the president-elect by his actions and decisions,” Hirono told reporters, according to a video of her remarks. “Presidents send clear messages about their intentions by who they appoint to senior positions and the appointment of Steve Bannon is a pretty clear message to us. What Steve Bannon believes is not a mystery — he has demeaned women, advocated for white supremacy and promoted anti-Semitism.”
Bannon has come under fire for public comments he has made over the years, but the content on the Breitbart News website has sparked the most concern. Bannon was executive chairman of Breitbart News before joining the Trump campaign in August. The news site published stories under his leadership with headlines such as “Lesbian Bridezillas Bully Bridal Shop Over Religious Beliefs” and “Clinton VP Pick Tim Kaine’s Islamist Ties.” A story earlier this month was headlined, “Tim Kaine Cheers End of White Majority in Spanish Address.”
The site has also published inflammatory stories about immigrants spreading diseases such as leprosy and bubonic plague and argued that immigrants should face a religious test to enter the United States. Hirono, an immigrant herself, pointed to such content as particularly offensive.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
“Quite frankly, it is sad that we are having a debate about whether a white supremacist should serve as a senior counselor to the president elect,” said Hirono.
Trump’s allies have come to Bannon’s defense in national news outlets, noting that Bannon didn’t write the articles on the website and arguing that he isn’t anti-Semitic or a white supremacist.
63 responses to “Hirono joins Democrats calling for Trump to fire Bannon”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
So……….this article brings eyeballs to the ads…..Trump should invite a Democrate to fill this job and then step back to see what would happen………..peace, love and happiness?
Power to da people, stick it to da Man.
Hirono is right: there are many qualified Republicans to advise trump. No need to inflame the public or to employ a crazed hack. Trump really shows his lack of talent, experience and intellect.
Hirono and dems, the harder you push Trump the less you going get! Bumbye you learn…
IRT AlohaKakou, Hirono had to be extremely careful for she is up for reelection in 2018 and the control of the Senate remains with the GOP. She coming out against Mr. Bannon has already raised and stuck the red flag to her. Hawaii got hurt.
What have you done Mazie? Keep voting them in, baby!
Good question Pocho. What exactly has she accomplished while she’s been in office? At least Hillary got to name a post office while a New York senator.
Agree. Hirono should back off and let the others pursue it because she’ll put our state at he bottom of the pile or on the blacklist for federal funds.
Lazy Maizee going in for the ride. LOL.
Just do your job and stop posturing Maize, results are the only thing that count, words mean nothing. Time to start producing.
Of course she does
Give the man a chance. Trump seems to be changing his ways, let’s see if his people do the same.
Trump is not changing his ways. He’s forgotten his campaign promises, which he never meant to fulfill in the first place. That’s the way he ran his business, and that’s the kind of president he’ll be. He got lucky that he ran against an opponent with as much credibility issues as he does.
Trump isn’t changing.
He’s not even sworn in yet, one week, and your crystal ball says it all! Too bad it read the entire election wrong, kind of like you! The Dem’s did this to themselves and you are just as bad as they are. Maize has done nothing but butter up to Obama. Next election will be very interesting.
Trump beat the Democrats at their own game. Stop whining. You want to blame somebody?
Look in the mirror.
Keep it up Lazy Maize, see if Hawaii ever gets another nickel from Trump.
You do realize it’s our money that comes back to us, right?
You do realize much of the money is borrowed from China and other countries, right?
obama and his Democrats would rather you not know that. Deficit? What deficit?
Hirono is a racist and a hater.
May be Mazie never officially became an American citizen? Maybe Dan Inouye fixed the paperwork for her? The ghost of the late great Dan Inouye is not going to save her in the next election. Just about anyone could beat her. How about John Waihee? As for our AJAs, there is no more racist group than our own AJAs – just ask any native Hawaiian who goes up against them in court or anywhere in Hawaii……..
Mazie, like Lazarus has arisen from the dead!!!
more baseless allegations by Maize and democrat circus act
Hey, let’s look at the positives here. At least we can feel reassured that Mazie is awake…
yes hawaiikone as in zombie awake 🙂
Mazie has not had an original thought since being elected to Congress, but she is very good at aping what the party leadership says.
Hirono always goes along to get along. Always follows the party line like an mindless robot.
She would have been smart to stay out of this and keep her mouth shut.
mazie…M.Y.O.B…..Hawaii’s Asian version of pelosi.
Yikes!
LMAO!
What is she going to say if Rep Keith Ellison becomes DNC Chair. He’s a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and has ties to the co-conspirator anti-Isreal group CAIRE…
Indeed. A good question my dear fellow.
I’m sure she would be very accommodating to the black Muslim from “Little Mogadishu”
in Minneapolistan.
How would democrats have responded if republicans asked NO-Bama to rescind appointments he made ????
I rest my case.
Why can’t she be happy just collecting her government check? Guaranteed re-election from Hawaii voters means she doesn’t have to do anything……..just collect the check……..like she’s been doing all along………why stir up stuff now?????
She got her GOLDEN PARACHUTE overflowing and is bored silly so she needs to find a cause?
Why? Tulsi, that’s why!
This has as much relevance as Schatz saying that a FOX news humorist be banned from Hawaii. These Dems from Hawaii take the most ludicrous stances that make them look small and idiotic.
Agree. They have ZERO influence but try desperately to make themselves relevant when they are not. I hope Trump and Bannon are vindictive, which they are and direct his new FTA head to save money and take back the over $2 billion in federal funds for the Oahu rail project after an audit shows rampant waste, graft, corruption and incompetence. Although not intentional, Mazie might actually be doing a good thing for Hawaii residents.
Mazie is right. Under Bannon’s leadership, Breitbart News created news sections such as ‘Black Crime’ and compared the work of Planned Parenthood, providing health care to women AND men to the Holocaust. Under his leadership, Breitbart News ran this headline following the massacre of nine church-goers at an African American church in Charleston: ‘Hoist it high and proud: The Confederate flag proclaims a glorious heritage.’ He called conservative commentator Bill Kristol a ‘renegade Jew.’ Steve Bannon bears substantial responsibility for the open and disgusting acts of hatred that are sweeping across our nation.
Wow, one incident compared to the media that is so blue it stinks. You don’t mention the lies of Reid and his cronies. “What goes around comes around”, and the Dem’s are getting theirs now. Can’t wait for Maize’s bid for reelection, the proof will come to the forefront. Get over it and get on board with helming to repair america from the last 8 years!
Kudos to Mazie. She share my views and I am glad she made her views known.
What views she got up from her nap and found out Hillary lost. Did she also just find out she doesn’t have a say anymore because she is a democrat. How about doing some work for our state instead of commenting on something you can’t do anything about.
LAMO! Good one.
Mazie and her Democrat camp-followers are suffering severe mental and emotional breakdowns from Trump’s crushing of Hillary Clinton in the election. I am loving it.
Lazy Mazie. Who in this world would listen to her. Totally useless puppet. “Make America Great Again”
Thank you Mazie. There are supporters who back you.
….I know this lady is 4 cans short of a “six Pack”,but can someone text Mazie Hirono with last Tuesday’s Vote results? And please tell her,they Lost!
I mean this is so ludicrous ! It’s the same game the Democrats used on President Trump,being associated with the KKK,when actually it’s the other way around!
Is it me?
Since when do Losers dictate or pick and choose who the president-elect chooses to be in his staff?……..it’s not like President Donald Trump is a Democrat!____ Thank God for that!lol.
The Democrats have a lot more to worry about,if they expect to get anything passed in the senate?
So i suggest: Mazie are you listening? Let’s try getting along with the Republican Controlled House and the Republican controlled Senate and Our Newly elected Republican President Elect…..President Trump.And get along! You’re not making things any better
So I say ,Suck it up and live to fight another day.
As the New Yorkers say , “Forget about it”.
Yeah, I’m sure President Trump will take Hirono/democrats suggestion and fire Bannon.
Seriously ?
Can anyone tell me what Mazie has done for the people of Hawaii?
Suck it up buttercup… your team lost. You don’t get to tell the winning coach how to run his team. LOL LOL LOL
Bannon rocks!
Maybe Hirono could call for the Harry Reid to step down for his false accusations and baseless innuendo, but we all know being a Democrat means never having to say you are sorry.
With Pelosi still at the helm of the Democratic Party – it will be easy to watch the continuing crash and burn of all things liberal.
What a joy to behold!!!
will quigg, grand dragon of the california kkk, endorsed the hippocrat female felon who never rejected his endorsement.
senator robert byrd, a kkk ranking member, was the hippocrat female felon’s mentor on politics.
trump never accepted any endorsements from the kkk nor is he a white power advocate.
laze is ignorantly spouting democrat brown shirt propaganda of hate and fear.
You make me ill Hirono, spewing your lies and hate. Remember where that got Clinton? You lost. Get a life. What an idiot!
What Hirono – got nothing better to do? Do something constructive for a change. Typical of you – playing follow the leader.
Election night coverage on MSNBC copied the plot of season opener of TWD. The enlightened electorate as Negan, DT as Lucielle.
Right ! Tell you what Mazzie, you step down from your position and then we talk to Trump .
In the words of the worst president in American history “Elections have consequences !”
Lose money Mazie. She was useless and she and Shetz will now be of no consequence. Hawaii is screwed.
Hirono only said stuff that Obama was saying, never had original plans. Now, you can quote someone like Pelosi
Right. Name ONE time in the past 8 years, that The Incompetent One EVER lent an ear to anyone who was in disagreement with his policies. The hypocrisy of Democrats is on display for the world to see. How absurd to think that Trump would actually entertain and oblige their demands. “To the Victors go the spoils.” How does it feel to stand in OUR shoes for a change?
Hey Hirono how about a little focus and start making Hawaii great again!
Hirono, as with all the other Hawaii Congressional senator and representatives, should just SHADDUP and go along as they are really non-entities within Congress.
They have no power or say over anything and if anything, Trump could easily CRUSH Hawaii’s congressional delegation from anything worthwhile within Congress etc. Nothing more and nothing less.
woah…either somebody woke Mazie up, or she found something interesting enough to speak up about.
Too bad she bought into that CNN narrative. Maybe we should fire her when her term is up.
Perhaps Lazy Mazie should spend more time doing things for Hawaii rather than making unnecessary comments about Trumps appointments. The important
people have made their comments already. Who does she think that she is pipping off her big mouth about things that are way over her head. She is just ” playing ” to
her colleagues . She is useless and perhaps the voters in Hawaii will let her know at the next election.
Pathetic…These senators are just pandering to their voter base to pretend that they are doing their jobs. Get to work and do something for Hawaii, Mazie!!!! Why do we keep voting these types of politicians in. SMH