Steve Bannon, Trump Ally, Ordered to Start Prison Term by July 1
TL/DR –
Steve Bannon, a former ally of ex-President Donald Trump, has been ordered to report to prison by July 1 to serve a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection. Bannon was convicted nearly two years ago of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition with the Jan. 6 House Committee and the other for refusing to provide documents related to his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss. Bannon is expected to appeal his conviction, labeling the case as politically motivated and aimed at “shutting down the MAGA movement”.
Steve Bannon Ordered to Report to Prison Serving Four-Month Sentence
A federal judge has ruled that Steve Bannon, the former ally of ex-President Donald Trump, must start his prison sentence by July 1, following his defiance of a House committee subpoena investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection. This comes after a federal appeals court upheld his contempt of Congress conviction last month. Bannon plans to seek a stay of the judge’s order, potentially delaying his incarceration.
Bannon remains unwavering, proclaiming his intent to keep fighting. He claimed the legal proceedings were a plot to silence the MAGA movement. He was convicted nearly two years prior on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to comply with a deposition request from the Jan. 6 House Committee, and another for not providing documents on his role in Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss.
Initially, Bannon was allowed to remain free while appealing his conviction, as the judge believed the case raised significant legal queries. However, Judge Nichols, appointed by Trump, revoked this after the appeals court dismissed Bannon’s legal challenges. Nichols stated the original basis for the stay no longer existed.
Bannon to Appeal Conviction and Continue Legal Battle
Bannon still has the option to appeal his conviction to the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Prosecutor John Crabb informed the judge it was “very unlikely” Bannon would achieve a successful appeal.
During the trial, Bannon’s lawyer argued that Bannon hadn’t ignored the subpoena but was instead in ongoing negotiations with the committee when he was charged. His defense stated that Bannon followed the advice of his attorney, who had deemed the subpoena invalid as the committee wouldn’t allow a Trump attorney present and due to executive privilege, Bannon could not determine what documents or testimonies to provide.
Defense lawyer David Schoen argued that it would be unfair to incarcerate Bannon now as he would finish his sentence before exhausting his appeals. Schoen argued that the case posed “serious constitutional issues” that required Supreme Court review. Bannon isn’t alone in this predicament. Peter Navarro, a second Trump aide, also received a contempt of Congress conviction and began his four-month sentence in March.
Final Report on U.S. Capitol Insurrection and Other Charges Against Bannon
The final report by the House Jan. 6 committee claimed Trump criminally engaged in a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results and failed to prevent his supporters from attacking the Capitol. Additionally, Bannon is facing criminal charges in New York for allegedly defrauding donors who contributed to building a wall on the U.S. southern border. Bannon pleaded not guilty to these charges, and the trial has been postponed until at least September.
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