The Mirror

Breitbart News chief ‘absolutely’ said he supports amnesty

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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Flip-flopping isn’t just for politicians any more. Consider the case of Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon.

Bannon runs a website that loudly and adamantly opposes immigration reform. Rarely a day passes without Breitbart News editorializing against the Washington establishment’s plans to allow illegal aliens to remain in this country. It is the site’s signature issue.

Just this weekend, for example, Breitbart reporter Matt Boyle attacked Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas for appearing to endorse a path to citizenship while speaking to voters at a town hall meeting. The story’s headline left no question about where Breitbart News stands on immigration reform: “SHOCKING VIDEOS: PETE SESSIONS SUPPORTS AMNESTY TO ‘ACCOMMODATE’ ILLEGAL ALIENS FOR ‘RIGHT REASONS.'”

And yet it turns out that Steve Bannon has at least one thing in common with Rep. Sessions. He’s for amnesty too. Just last year, Bannon told ABC that the U.S. “absolutely” needs immigration reform.

In a March 2013 piece, ABC News political reporter Shushannah Walshe interviewed a number of Republicans about immigration. Walshe asked Bannon a straightforward question: “Should Republicans back immigration reform?” Bannon’s response was equally direct: “Yes, absolutely. As long as it’s sensible. Look, conservatives and Republicans we have to sort out the immigration issue in our country. It’s about how we sort it out.”

Make no mistake: Immigration reform means amnesty, at least according to the definition in use at Breitbart News. No immigration reform proposal includes wholesale deportation of immigrants who are here illegally. Under every version of immigration reform currently being debated, most illegals would be allowed to remain in the United States. That is amnesty, and Steve Bannon says he’s for it.

Time for Bannon to apologize to Rep. Sessions? We’re waiting.

Breitbart‘s leader did not reply to an email request for comment by press time.