Stephen Bannon also profited from ties to Harvey Weinstein

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last updated 12 October 2017

Breitbart News has spent the last several days calling out Democratic politicians who received donations from Harvey Weinstein, but it turns out the website's leader, Stephen Bannon, also had financial ties to Weinstein, The Associated Press reports.

In 2005, the former White House strategist was chairman of a company called Genius Products, which distributed DVDs and home videos, AP says. They went into business with the Weinstein Company, run by Harvey Weinstein and his brother, Bob, and the Weinsteins became 70 percent owners of Genius Products. Transcripts from calls Bannon had with investors at the time show he was excited about the relationship, AP reports, saying the company was "extremely honored to be in business with the new Weinstein Company" and calling the Weinstein brothers "two of the most prolific studio heads in the history of Hollywood." Genius Products went bankrupt in 2011.

Weinstein was fired from the company he co-founded on Sunday, after numerous women accused him of sexual misconduct, and The New York Times reported that he paid off many of them. Weinstein donated to and was friendly with several prominent politicians, including Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama, who both released statements condemning his alleged actions, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who said she will donate his campaign contributions to charity. A spokeswoman for Bannon told AP he was not available for comment.