Last week, Donald Trump named Breitbart executive Steve Bannon as his campaign CEO. The media’s already dug up some dirt on the guy, and they didn’t have to dive too deep to find it. Politico notes that Bannon was accused of domestic violence and, in fact, was charged in relation to allegations made by his then-wife in 1996. A police report that was filed by Mary Louise Piccard reveals that she pressed charges after a fight about money, which ended in him grabbing her neck and wrist. An officer observed red marks on her neck, which supported these claims, and she said Bannon smashed her phone when she tried to call authorities.
Bannon pleaded not guilty, but Piccard maintained that he was often abusive. When the trial date arrived, the judge dismissed the case when Piccard was “unable to be located.” The New York Post fills in some blanks, including an alleged threat from Bannon’s lawyer, who told Piccard she would be penniless if the case went to court. She says Bannon threatened her as well, and she eventually gave up and left town: “Because I was not present at the trial, the case was dismissed.”
The New York Post also dug into the couple’s divorce papers, which revealed that Piccard became pregnant with twins while she was dating Bannon, who refused to marry her until she underwent an amniocentesis and found out “the babies were normal.” Once that was determined, Bannon sent her a prenuptial agreement. Piccard also stated that Bannon was a big believer in corporal punishment for their daughters, which Bannon reportedly denies.
(Via Politico & New York Post)