Billionaire Mercer Throws Milo Yiannopoulos Under the Bus

Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah.

Billionaire Robert Mercer plans to step down as co-chief executive officer of Renaissance Technologies, effective Jan. 1, according to a letter he sent to investors in the firm’s funds.

In the letter, he said that for personal reasons, he has also decided to sell his stake in Breitbart News to his daughters.

Regarding Breitbart editor- and- chief Steve Bannon, he said:

The press has also intimated that my politics marches in lockstep with Steve Bannon's. I have great respect for Mr. Bannon, and from time to time I do discuss politics with him. However, I make my own decisions with respect to whom I support politically. Those decisions do not always align with Mr. Bannon's.

But he slammed Milo Yiannopoulos, whom he had sponsored:

.I supported Milo Yiannopoulos in the hope and expectation that his expression of views contrary to the social mainstream and his spotlighting of the hypocrisy of those who would close down free speech in the name of political correctness would promote the type of open debate and freedom of thought that is being throttled on many American
college campuses today. But in my opinion, actions of and statements by Mr. Yiannopoulos have caused pain and divisiveness undermining the open and productive discourse that I had hoped to facilitate. I was mistaken to have supported him, and for several weeks have been in the process of severing all ties with him.

   -RW