Alt-right website Breitbart News, formerly chaired by White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, will not be issued permanent press credentials for Capitol Hill until the Standing Committee of the Senate Press Gallery receives "more answers" regarding Bannon's involvement in the website, The Daily Beast reported.
Breitbart CEO and president Larry Solov sent the committee a letter late last week stating Bannon had severed ties with the website as of November, but the committee was not satisfied with the information and was also annoyed of the letter's timing – it arrived late Thursday night when the deadline was early Friday.
In the letter, Solov wrote Bannon has "has no editorial, executive, financial or other role or interest" in Breitbart.
Other details the committee is looking for according to The Daily Beast include:
- A complete explanation on the roles of people on the masthead.
- Their involvement, if any, on Bannon-related projects.
- Clarification on reports that major GOP donor Rebekah Mercer is involved in editorial decisions.
- Additional information on the website's office.
Mercer's father Robert, a hedge-fund billionaire, has invested $10 million into Breitbart, The New Yorker reported. And Rebekah has become particularly close to Bannon when it comes to politics. The New Yorker reported she was "highly engaged" with Breitbart's content and would "often points out areas of coverage that she thinks require more attention."