A domestic violence case and voter registration irregularities involving Donald Trump’s new campaign chief executive brought fresh scrutiny on Friday to how well Trump vets his most senior employees and advisers – another distraction from the themes the Republican nominee wants to emphasize less than 11 weeks from the election.
The Guardian newspaper reports that Stephen Bannon registered as a voter in Florida using an address where he did not reside, putting him at odds with state laws. Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision via AP
Records show Stephen Bannon changed his voter registration address in Florida this week as reporters were preparing a story about how he was registered at an address where he did not live. A spokeswoman provided a statement from someone who said Bannon had lived there but did not respond to a question about why he changed his registration to the new address.
Bannon is also under a spotlight after revelations that he was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence 20 years ago against his then-wife. The case was dismissed.
The new details about Bannon’s personal life could complicate Trump’s recent attempts to improve his standing among minorities and women.
“It just undermines any effort they are pursuing to try and soften him up when he surrounds himself with people like that,” said Katie Packer, a Republican strategist who opposes Trump.
On Thursday, Bannon’s registration information was changed from an address in Miami-Dade County to Sarasota County, according to Miami-Dade elections officials. On Friday, the Guardian newspaper reported that Bannon had been registered at an address in Miami-Dade where he did not reside, putting him at odds with state laws.
The address where Bannon is now registered in Sarasota County is also associated with venture capitalist Andrew Badolato, who, according to his website, has worked as an associate producer on films produced and directed by Bannon.
Badolato has also written for Breitbart News, the right-leaning website Bannon heads. Bannon is on leave from Breitbart as he works for Trump. Badolato gave Trump a $142 donation in April, campaign records show.
Bannon spokeswoman Alexandra Preate referred to a statement issued by A.J. Delgado, a conservative commentator supporting Trump.
“I have known Steve for several years and he was most definitely, without a doubt, living in the house in question,” Delgado said. “I personally visited Steve there on various occasions throughout a long period of time starting in 2013. All his belongings, including boxes of documents even, were there and his vehicles.”
But the Miami-Dade property owner, Luis Guevara, told the Guardian that “nobody lives there.”
Trump has been an outspoken critic of voter fraud, which studies have shown is rare. He recently encouraged supporters in Pennsylvania to watch for signs of irregularities on Election Day.
Bannon also was charged in 1996 with three counts stemming from a dispute with his then-wife, Mary Louise Piccard.
Bannon was charged with trying to prevent or dissuade the victim or a witness of a crime from reporting it; inflicting injury on a cohabitant or other closely associated person; and battery, according to court records in Southern California, where Bannon lived at the time.
According to a police report that was posted online by Politico, Bannon’s then-wife said an argument escalated into a physical confrontation in which Bannon grabbed her wrist and at her neck. As she tried to call 911, he grabbed the phone and threw it, she alleged. She also said there were past instances of disputes that became physical.
Piccard, who had twins with Bannon, filed for divorce in January 1997, court records show.
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