Steve Bannon

Former Trump strategist found guilty of criminal contempt of Congress for ignoring subpoena from Capitol attack committee.

It ended the meeting [by voting 9-0](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/13/january-6-hearing-trump-state-of-mind-capitol-attack) to subpoena Trump. Prosecutors also pointed to Bannon’s comments on his podcast in which he used violent and intimidating rhetoric against members of the committee. statements prove that his contempt was not aimed at protecting executive privilege or the constitution, rather it was aimed at undermining the committee’s efforts to investigate an historic attack on government.” “His noncompliance has been complete and unremitting,” the justice department wrote. Bannon’s “contempt of Congress was absolute and undertaken in bad faith”, prosecutors added in the filing, which was submitted ahead of the ex-Trump adviser’s scheduled sentencing Friday. Heaphy declined, since the committee was not involved in criminal charges and said he had not heard from Bannon’s lawyer since.

Bannon, was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress, told the court he should only be sentenced to probation.

(Bannon has pleaded not guilty.) He was previously indicted on similar charges by federal prosecutors over the scheme, but he was [cleared](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/05/25/steve-bannon-officially-cleared-of-federal-charges-after-trump-pardon---but-this-state-probe-still-looms/?sh=5ec86c7b57c4) of all charges after former President Donald Trump pardoned him. Bannon and Trump had several phone conversations leading up to the January 6 riot suggesting he had knowledge of Trump’s post-election plans and knowledge of the attack, the House committee has It’s unclear how many other Trump allies could face charges for not cooperating with the committee, however: while lawmakers voted to hold former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Trump social media director Dan Scavino in contempt, for instance, the DOJ ultimately [declined](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/03/doj-declines-to-charge-meadows-scavino-with-contempt-of-congress-for-defying-jan-6-committee-00037230) to indict them. If Nichols does order Bannon to be incarcerated, Bannon’s attorneys have asked that his sentence be served as home confinement instead of in prison, which would also be up to the judge to decide. would violate his rights under the 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments to the United States Constitution,” Bannon’s lawyers wrote in their sentencing memo, arguing federal law states that someone can only be held in contempt if they’ve “willfully” defied a subpoena. 6 committee and one for not testifying—which each carried a minimum prison sentence of 30 days and a maximum of one year. [Breaking: Bannon Found Guilty Of Contempt Of Congress—Could Face Two Years In Prison](https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/07/22/breaking-bannon-found-guilty-of-contempt-of-congress-could-face-2-years-in-prison/?sh=30bd53b017b2) (Forbes) [Bannon Indicted In New York For Border Wall Scheme—Here Are The Charges He’s Facing](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/09/08/bannon-indicted-in-new-york-for-fraud-here-are-the-charges-hes-facing/?sh=4c45fa501b15) (Forbes) Bannon knew that his conduct was wrong ... District Judge Carl Nichols impose a six-month sentence on Bannon, ahead of the ex-Trump adviser’s official sentencing on October 21. “His noncompliance has been complete and unremitting.” Bannon is the first person to be convicted of contempt of Congress at trial since 1974, after he defied the House January 6 committee’s subpoena for his documents and testimony. [convicted](https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/07/22/breaking-bannon-found-guilty-of-contempt-of-congress-could-face-2-years-in-prison/?sh=30bd53b017b2) on two counts of contempt of Congress in July—one for not turning documents over to the House Jan.

Federal prosecutors recommended Steve Bannon get six months in jail for defying a subpoena from the congressional probe of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

"The Defendant's bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt deserves severe punishment." By flouting the Select Committee's subpoena and its authority, the Defendant exacerbated that assault," their memo said. Clark clarified to Costello that Trump was not advising Bannon to defy the committee's subpoena. "The facts of this case show that Mr. Bannon's lawyers justified his refusal to comply with the subpoena by citing Trump's claims of executive privilege, which can allow a president to prevent the release of certain White House documents or communications. Trump and many of his allies, including Bannon, falsely claimed for months before the riot that the election was rigged for President [Joe Biden](https://www.cnbc.com/joe-biden/). Clark's letter instructed Bannon not to share any privileged material with the committee. [House voted to hold him in contempt](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/21/house-votes-to-hold-trump-ally-steve-bannon-in-contempt.html) of Congress for refusing to comply with a House select committee's subpoena for documents and testimony. In their latest court filing, they described it as merely "a cover for his contempt." His lawyers also asked to stay any sentence imposed pending the outcome of an appeal. [Donald Trump](https://www.cnbc.com/donald-trump/)'s supporters stormed the U.S. They also recommended the maximum fine.

(Bloomberg) -- Steve Bannon, a longtime adviser to former President Donald Trump, should go to prison for six months and pay a $200,000 fine after a jury ...

Bannon’s defense attorneys argued that their client, in refusing to respond to the subpoena, relied in “good faith” on the advice of his lawyer, Robert Costello, according to a defense filing on Monday. Bannon is the only person in Trump’s inner circle so far to be tried for refusing to cooperate with the committee. Separately, Bannon is facing a lawsuit from the New York attorney general accusing him of defrauding thousands of donors to a privately funded wall on the southern US border. Thompson should have “the guts and the courage to show up here and say exactly why it’s a crime,” Bannon said. Last week, the committee televised a hearing about its probe in prime time, including a vote to subpoena Trump. Bannon’s refusal to cooperate with the House Jan.

US Department of Justice says Bannon pursued 'bad-faith strategy' in refusing to comply with January 6 panel subpoena.

[refusal to cooperate with the subpoena](/news/2022/7/11/trump-ally-bannon-now-willing-to-testify-before-jan-6-panel) undermined the committee’s work. [voted to subpoena](/news/liveblog/2022/10/13/jan-6-panel-live-news-us-committee-holds-9th-public-hearing) Trump in an effort to compel the ex-president’s testimony about the Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election. [Trump ally Bannon set to turn himself in after new indictment](/news/2022/9/7/trump-ally-bannon-set-to-turn-himself-in-after-new-indictment) [Trump ally Steve Bannon convicted of contempt of US Congress](/news/2022/7/22/trump-ally-bannon-convicted-contempt-congress)