Legal expert blasts GOP as ‘a pathetic and dangerous cult’ for whipping votes against Bannon criminal referral

House GOP Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) announced on Thursday that the Republican caucus would whip votes against holding Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon in contempt for refusing to cooperative with the congressional investigation of the Capitol riot.

On Tuesday, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol unanimously voted for a criminal referral of Bannon to the Department of Justice, setting up a floor vote.

"House GOP leaders are recommending a 'no' vote on the criminal contempt referral for Bannon, Scalise announced in conference this morning, per a source in the room. Not the same as a formal whip against the resolution, but it still shows GOP leaders leaning in hard against it," CNN's Melanie Zanona reported.

Harvard Law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe said the decision was not a surprise.

"No surprise there. Until the GOP becomes a genuine political party again and not just a pathetic and dangerous cult, it will continue to vote 'no' on every effort to restore truth and to prevent another coup and insurrection," Tribe said.