BuzzFeed has just come out with an absolute blockbuster of a story that reveals how closely Breitbart worked with neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and alt-righters and incorporated their ideas into the site’s content. The bombshell highlighted how former tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos recruited the help of white nationalists to put together Breitbart’s big March 2016 feature on the alt-right, ‘An Establishment Conservative’s Guide to the Alt-Right.’

Now, this behemoth of a piece by BuzzFeed is a must-read on its own due to how much it exposes about Milo, ex-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the site’s association with white nationalism, and the financing behind the news outlet. However, what we will helpfully do for you is highlight some of the craziest details in the report.

Milo Sings ‘America the Beautiful’ — To Nazi Salutes

There is a previously unreleased video of Yiannopoulos singing the patriotic song at a Dallas karaoke bar in April 2016. And well-known white supremacist Richard Spencer was there with other Milo admirers. And, yep, they raised their arms and gave Nazi salutes at his performance. However, Yiannopoulos claimed he never saw the salutes:

He added that during his karaoke performance, his “severe myopia” made it impossible for him to see the Hitler salutes a few feet away.

Milo Tried to Take Sole Credit on the Alt-Right Guide

Yiannopoulos’ writing partner, Allum Bokhari, apparently did most of the actual work on the comprehensive guide. However, Milo wanted all the credit because of course. He wrote emails to Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow asking if he could take all the glory while telling Bokhari that management just wanted his name on the piece.

Also, there was another sensitive issue to be raised: credit. “Allum did most of the work on this and wants joint [byline] but I want the glory here,” Yiannopoulos wrote back to Marlow. “I am telling him you said it’s sensitive and want my byline alone on it.” Minutes later, Yiannopoulos emailed Bokhari. “I was going to have Marlow collude with me … about the byline on the alt right thing because I want to take it solo. Will you hate me too much if I do that? … Truthfully management is very edgy on this one (They love it but it’s racially charged) and they would prefer it.”

Bannon Tears Milo a New One

Yiannopoulos was upset about a story that Breitbart London had published that claimed anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller had been threatened by a London college student. Milo emailed Bannon complaining about the article, calling it “horseshit” and recommending that it be pulled because Geller herself said it was “rubbish.” He also told Bannon in the email that they should win with the truth. Bannon was NOT happy.

Six minutes later, Bannon wrote back to his tech editor in a fury. “Your [sic] full of shit. When I need your advice on anything I will ask. … The tech site is a total clusterfuck—meaningless stories written by juveniles. You don’t have a clue how to build a company or what real content is. And you don’t have long to figure it out or your [sic] gone. … You are magenalia [sic].” (Geller clarified to BuzzFeed News in a statement that she believed it was “rubbish” that the London university characterized the threats against her as “fake.”)

Bannon Urged Milo to be More Extreme in Public and Offered Private Security From the Mercers

After a live event at a Chicago university featuring Milo ended with Black Lives Matter activists storming the stage, Yiannopoulos confided in Bannon that he was legitimately scared and thought he was going to get punched, stating that he needed protection. Bannon told him he agreed and that he’d use the private security team of the site’s investment partners, billionaire Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah.

“Agree 100%,” Bannon wrote. “We want you to stir up more. Milo: for your eyes only we r going to use the mercers private security company.” Copied on the email was Dan Fleuette, Bannon’s coproducer at Glittering Steel and the man who acted for months as the go-between for Yiannopoulos and the Mercers.

Milo Had to be Told Not to Host Avowed Racists on His Podcast

Marlow had to step in and tell Milo that he could not have the system administrator for the most notorious white supremacist site on the web, The Daily Stormer, as a guest on his podcast.

“Great provocative guest,” Yiannopoulos wrote. “He’s one of the funniest, smartest and most interesting people I know. … Very on brand for me.” “Gotta think about it,” Marlow wrote back. “He’s a legit racist. … This is a major strategic decision for this company and as of now I’m leaning against it.” (Weev never appeared on the podcast.)

Milo Used Blatantly Racist Passwords

Just read this passage:

In an April 6 email, Allum Bokhari mentioned having had access to an account of Yiannopoulos’s with “a password that began with the word Kristall.” Kristallnacht, an infamous 1938 riot against German Jews carried out by the SA — the paramilitary organization that helped Hitler rise to power — is sometimes considered the beginning of the Holocaust. In a June 2016 email to an assistant, Yiannopoulos shared the password to his email, which began “LongKnives1290.” The Night of the Long Knives was the Nazi purge of the leadership of the SA. The purge famously included Ernst Röhm, the SA’s gay leader. 1290 is the year King Edward I expelled the Jews from England.

Milo Claimed Donald Trump Parroted His Rhetoric Via Bannon

In an email exchange that featured tweet from a renowned white nationalist celebrating Trump claiming he’d protect free speech on campuses, Yiannopoulos bragged that Trump was using his phrases and that Bannon was feeding them to him.

These are just a small handful of what this utterly insane BuzzFeed piece contains. Do yourself a favor and check it out now for the whole story. Also, check out video of Milo singing at the top of this post, via BuzzFeed.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Justin Baragona on Twitter: @justinbaragona

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