By One of Trump’s top advisers who helped him win in 2016 will likely be soon heading to jail. On Friday, a federal appeals court upheld the contempt-of-Congress conviction of Steve Bannon. He had previously been found guilty after failing to comply with a subpoena from the House January 6 committee.
After being found guilty in 2022, Bannon was also ordered to pay a $6,500 fine.
In 2022, the House of Representatives, led by Democrats, also decided to send former White House deputy communications chief of staff Dan Scavino and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for prosecution by the Justice Department, but the department chose not to levy charges against them.
The court did not immediately order Bannon to begin serving his four-month prison sentence; instead, he has seven days to ask for reconsideration at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, wrote The Washington Post.
The unanimous decision was written by Brad Garcia, the newest member of the court. Bannon “deliberately refused to comply with the Select Committee’s subpoena in that he knew what the subpoena required and intentionally did not respond” and gave no persuasive argument for doing so, Garcia wrote. “Bannon failed to comply with the subpoena, and his failure to comply was willful.”
The panel included a Biden appointee, a Trump appointee and an Obama appointee.
“Flouting congressional subpoenas betrays a lack of respect for the legislative branch, which exercises the will of the people of the United States,” U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols, a Trump appointee, said at Bannon’s sentencing.
Known for his nationalist views and populist rhetoric, Bannon advocated for a hardline approach on immigration and trade, shaping Trump’s policy agenda. However, his tenure was marked by controversy, and he ultimately left the White House in 2017. Bannon remained influential in right-wing circles, using his platform to promote nationalist movements globally through organizations like Breitbart News and various political initiatives. In 2020, Bannon faced legal troubles, being charged with fraud related to a fundraising campaign for a border wall. Despite these challenges, he continued to be a vocal and polarizing figure within conservative politics, rallying support for populist causes and challenging mainstream political establishments.
Bannon has consistently maintained that his legal counsel advised him against responding to the subpoena from Congress until former President Donald Trump waived executive privilege regarding their communications. Nevertheless, records indicated that both Trump’s attorney, Justin Clark, and Chairman of the January 6 Committee Bennie G. Thompson, informed Bannon through his attorney that he was not shielded from testifying by any presidential immunity.
The former head of Breitbart and presidential adviser is the second person close to Trump to face prosecution for refusing to participate in the House January 6 investigation. Former Trump White House aide Peter Navarro, is currently serving a four-month prison sentence for his 2023 conviction.
CNN noted that “when the now-defunct House panel sought documents and testimony from Bannon in 2021, it pointed to alleged communications between Bannon and Trump in the days leading up to the January 6 Capitol attack, as well as comments Bannon made on his podcast the day before the riot that ‘all hell is going to break loose tomorrow.’
Bannon could also turn directly to the Supreme Court for additional appeals, possibly further delaying when he needs to start serving his prison term.
Bannon’s attorneys did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.”
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