Breitbart News CEO Larry Solov confirmed Friday that the Mercer family – GOP mega-donors and key backers of President Trump’s campaign – are part owners of the right-wing news site, according to multiple reports.
The controversial conservative site is in the process of applying for congressional press credentials through the Standing Committee of Correspondents, the group that acts as a gatekeeper for the Capitol Hill press.
Solov appeared in front of the committee on Friday, where he revealed that the outlet is owned by himself, the Mercer family, and Susie Breitbart, the widow of the website’s founder Andrew Breitbart, USA Today and BuzzFeed reported.
Solov did not say exactly which members of the family were involved with Breitbart News, saying that Susie Breitbart held the largest percentage stake in the company but declining to elaborate on the Mercer family stake, according to BuzzFeed.
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The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the Mercers bought a 50 percent stake in Breitbart in 2011.
Robert Mercer is a hedge fund manager who has donated millions to conservative campaigns and causes. He, along with his daughter Rebekah Mercer, were strong supporters of Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The father-daughter pair were influential in Trump’s staffing choices and other decisions during his presidential bid, and Rebekah Mercer worked on the real estate mogul’s presidential transition team.
During the campaign, the family poured millions into a super-PAC backing GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas). Eventually they threw their support behind Trump, with the group going after Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
News organizations trying to secure official Capitol Hill credentials must prove that their editorial teams are independent and not directed by corporate or political entities.
During his appearance in front of the panel Friday, Solov sought to assure committee members that White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart, had fully resigned from the company.
The committee demanded a letter with details of the senior Trump aide’s resignation, proving he wasn’t simply taking a leave of absence, according to the reports.
While Breitbart News is currently applying for credentials, the organization’s reporters have been covering the Capitol for some time using temporary press passes.