Cambridge Analytica whistleblower: Steve Bannon used data to discourage Democratic turnout

Erin Kelly | USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON — Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie told House Democrats that former Trump campaign strategist Steve Bannon used the firm's research to discourage Democrats from voting in the 2016 election, according to testimony released Wednesday.

Democrats from the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee asked Wylie in a closed-door session on Tuesday whether Bannon had specifically talked about voter disenfranchisement or disengagement.

"Yes," Wylie responded, according to the transcript released by the Democrats. "If by that term you mean discouraging particular types of voters who are more prone to voting for Democratic or liberal candidates, if that’s what you mean by that term, then yes."

Bannon could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Republicans on the committees did not join Democrats in questioning Wylie on Tuesday. Wylie also testified before Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday.

Facebook recently revealed that it had suspended Cambridge Analytica, claiming the political consulting firm secured information on up to 87 million users without permission, through a personality quiz app from Global Science Research. Cambridge Analytica used that data to target voters during the 2016 presidential election on behalf of the Trump campaign.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified for about 10 hours on Capitol Hill earlier this month as lawmakers pressed him to explain why the company didn't do more to protect users' privacy. Facebook disclosed the massive privacy breach after Wylie told reporters what had happened.

Wylie told House Democrats this week that, as early as 2014, Bannon directed Cambridge Analytica to test messages such as "build the wall" and "drain the swamp," which later became major slogans of the Trump campaign. Bannon served as vice president and secretary of Cambridge Analytica from June 2014 to August 2016, before joining the Trump campaign.

"Some of the things that emerged from that were — my understanding was that 'Drain the Swamp,' like, verbatim was tested, and used in some of the message testing," Wylie testified. "(Border) walls were discussed."

Wylie testified that Bannon directed Cambridge Analytica in 2014 to test images and concepts for an American audience relating to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian expansion in Eastern Europe. He said Putin was the only foreign leader used in the testing.

"I can’t explain why it was that they picked Vladimir Putin to talk about in focus groups or to do message testing or to do models on, and why that would be useful to Steve Bannon," Wylie told committee members.

According to Wylie, Bannon said he didn't care if campaign ads created and promoted through Cambridge Analytica contained false information because he was trying to win a "culture war."

"Cambridge Analytica was set up to be essentially a full service propaganda machine," Wylie testified.

Wylie said Michael Flynn was a consultant for Cambridge Analytica and was hired to "open doors" and "look at potential contracts" in the United States and abroad. Flynn was a Trump campaign adviser and later served as the president's national security adviser before Trump fired him for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.

Flynn has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russians and is cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Previously: Cambridge Analytica whistleblower to testify Wednesday to House Intel Democrats

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