In a shocking (yet not entirely shocking) development, former presidential advisor Steve Bannon has been arrested for multiple counts of fraud. The man who played a key role in Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, and the early days of his administration, is accused of launching a fundraiser that was meant to help build the president’s border wall between the United States and Mexico, but instead, Bannon and his co-conspirators allegedly lined their own pockets. Via CNN:
The four men are indicted for allegedly using hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to an online crowdfunding campaign called We Build the Wall for personal expenses, among other things. Bannon and another defendant, Brian Kolfage, promised donors that the campaign, which ultimately raised more than $25 million, was “a volunteer organization” and that “100% of the funds raised…will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose,” according to the indictment unsealed Thursday.
However, folks on Twitter have been having a field day with the circumstances surrounding Bannon’s arrest. According to reports, the United States Postal Inspection Service slapped the cuffs on Bannon while he was on his boat in Connecticut, which is especially ironic given the president’s recent efforts to dismantle the postal service going into the 2020 election.
You can see the reactions below:
Live image of postal inspectors arresting Steve Bannon pic.twitter.com/NApTj8x38v
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) August 20, 2020
This almost certainly ends with some dumbfuck (or group of dumbfucks) going to jail. pic.twitter.com/VME9WuZsSq
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) December 20, 2018
Honestly, when this photo came out a couple of days ago, cannot believe we didn’t all predict that Bannon would be arrested by the postal service for bilking a bunch of people while out on a boat. pic.twitter.com/ZU7t7XMFAp
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) August 20, 2020
https://twitter.com/ethan_booker/status/1296446436725460996?s=21
look i know we’re not saying it but: we all agree steve bannon was nude when the post office cops arrested him on his boat, right
— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) August 20, 2020
I'm sorry I'm supposed to just go on with the rest of my day after hearing "Bannon arrested on a boat by the mail police"?
— Jordan Freiman (@JordanFreiman) August 20, 2020
The fact that the Postal Service played a part in this Bannon arrest is fucking GLORIOUS.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 20, 2020
THE POSTAL SERVICE CAPTURED BANNON AT SEA https://t.co/QSrTlNJfhi
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) August 20, 2020
NEW: Law enforcement source tells @NBCNewYork Steve Bannon was arrested this morning on board a boat off the coast of Westbrook, CT #nbc4ny https://t.co/hV9egi3SiZ
— Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) August 20, 2020
Despite the fact that Bannon isn’t the first person connected to the Trump campaign and/or administration who’s been indicted on federal charges, this recent scandal does have a uniquely 2020 flavor to it. In what other year could the architect of Donald Trump’s presidency get arrested by the exact government service Trump is trying to destroy? The odds are incredible, but this last tweet pretty much sums it up.
https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1296463071246987266
(Via CNN)