Jeff Kwatinetz, a political liberal with whom Steve Bannon founded talent management and TV production company The Firm, insists Bannon is not a racist or an anti-Semite.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kwatinetz defended Bannon, who is now chief strategist for President Donald Trump, against accusations that he is racist.
“I don’t judge people on their politics, I judge them on their character, and from what I knew then and what I know now, Steve has great character,” Kwatinetz told THR. “He’s not a racist or anti-Semitic. Things like that are absurd.”
Kwatinetz said 20 people who worked with Bannon at The Firm have asked him “why the media is lying about Steve.”
Kwatinetz also said, “I am Jewish, Roy Furman was Jewish, Andrew Breitbart was Jewish. He is not anti-Semitic. Period.”
Blaming liberal media bias for the accusations, Kwatinetz admitted in the interview that he and other liberals have benefitted from the bias and said much of what is reported about conservatives and others in the media isn’t true.
“We both love America and want the world to be a better place and we believe in being true to ourselves,” Kwatinetz told THR. “I don’t want to be demonized for my views and he shouldn’t be either.
Kwatinetz also disputed reports that Bannon lost his temper frequently and was difficult to work with. While not saying Bannon never lost his temper, Kwatinetz said Bannon did not do so frequently and that he worked hard and was good to work with.
Kwatinetz also said others have made statements supporting Bannon that were ignored by the press, as his previous statements were.
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