Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon will be charged in New York state and intends to surrender on Thursday over his role in the right-wing We Build the Wall organization that allegedly defrauded donors, which has long caught the eye of investigators. Back in 2020, Bannon was pardoned on federal charges by then-President Donald Trump over his role in the alleged scam. The Washington Post first broke the news, which was later confirmed by The Daily Beast. The news follows The Daily Beast reporting late Tuesday that the IRS stripped the Bannon-operated group Citizens of the American Republic’s tax-exempt status, which the feds alleged was used to funnel money from the We Build the Wall operation into Bannon and partner Brian Kolfage’s pockets. The tough-talking Bannon said in a statement to The Daily Beast through a spokesperson that he has “not yet begun to fight,” while alleging the state charges are politically motivated. “The Soros-backed DA has now decided to pursue phony charges against me 60 days before the midterm election because WarRoom [Bannon’s daily podcast] is the major source of the MAGA grassroots movement,” he said. “I am never going to stop fighting. In fact, I have not yet begun to fight. They will have to kill me first.”
