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GOP megadonor officially breaks ties with Bannon over anti-Republican stance

Tuesday, 14 November 2017 9:33 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 18 November 2017 5:06 PM ]

Miriam Adelson (L) talks with her husband, Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson, during a speech by US Vice President Mike Pence (not pictured) at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting at the Venetian Las Vegas on February 24, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by AFP)

The GOP’s most prominent megadonor has officially ended support for former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon shortly after the far-right activist voiced praise for him while attacking some other Republicans.

Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson said through a spokesman on Tuesday that Bannon’s stated efforts to take on the GOP would not be endorsed.

“The Adelsons will not be supporting Steve Bannon’s efforts,” said Andy Abboud, an Adelson spokesman. “They are supporting Mitch McConnell 100 percent. For anyone to infer anything otherwise is wrong.”

‘Adelson’s wisdom’

The announcement came after Bannon, a Trump supporter associated with white supremacists, took his allegedly anti-establishment initiative to Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), which is heavily funded by Adelson.

(L-R) Tom Barrack, Miriam Adelson and Sheldon Adelson greet US President-elect Donald Trump on the West Front of the US Capitol on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by AFP)

At the ZOA’s annual dinner on Sunday night, Bannon praised Adelson over his support for President Donald Trump.

“Sheldon Adelson had Donald Trump’s back. Sheldon Adelson offered guidance and counsel and wisdom of how to get through it. He was there for Donald Trump about how to comport oneself and how to dig down deep, and it was his guidance and his wisdom that helped get us through it,” said the far-right editor of Breitbart News at the gathering in New York City.

‘A Christian Zionist’

Bannon further bragged about what he referred to as “a Christian Zionist,” calling on Jews to join his “insurgency movement against the Republican establishment."

Steve Bannon makes remarks during a discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland on February 23, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

“I am not a moderate, I’m a fighter… And that’s why I’m proud to stand with the State of Israel. That’s why I’m proud to be a Christian Zionist.”

Bannon was initially supposed to introduce Adelson and his wife, Miriam, but the couple did not show up for the event, in which US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also took part.

“We are proud and fortunate to have Steve Bannon our side fighting for Israel and against anti-Semitism,” the ZOA said in a news release last month. “And we’re honored that he will be a speaker at ZOA’s 2017 Gala where he will be introducing Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, the greatest pro-Jewish Zionists on the face of the planet.”

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