Steve Bannon Sent To Prison

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Steve Bannon's criminal conviction for contempt of Congress on Friday, affirming the 2022 decision that found the former Trump adviser guilty.

The ruling, following a lengthy legal battle, could lead to Bannon, now 70 years old, facing imprisonment. He was convicted in 2022 for refusing to provide testimony and documents to the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol breach.

Bannon has seven days to request a rehearing from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit despite the upheld decision. Currently, the court has not ordered immediate implementation of his four-month prison sentence, along with a $6,500 fine.

Circuit Judge Brad Garcia, the court's newest member, authored the unanimous ruling, stating that Bannon offered "no persuasive argument" for defying the subpoena and "deliberately refused to comply." Garcia noted that Bannon's claim of "advice of counsel" as a defense was rejected, emphasizing that willful non-compliance was clear.

The 20-page ruling explained that Bannon's deliberate non-response to the subpoena was not accidental, as he knew the requirements but chose not to comply. The court rejected Bannon's arguments, including claims that he was following instructions from Trump's legal team and that the committee's subpoena was flawed.

The committee sought documents and evidence from Bannon after his January 5 podcast prediction of turmoil on January 6. Bannon had also been involved in discussions about overturning the 2020 election results.

The Supreme Court rejected Peter Navarro's appeal, and the former Trump White House trade adviser, aged 74, began serving his prison sentence in March. Bannon, under the guidance of his former lawyer Robert Costello, ignored subpoenas, citing executive privilege. Federal prosecutors argued that Bannon's actions as a private citizen were not protected by presidential privilege.

Bannon claimed he believed his actions were legal based on Trump's assertion of executive privilege, but the committee was not informed of this privilege, and Trump's counsel clarified its nonexistence. Bannon remains free on bond as he considers his legal options, but he may face imprisonment if he cannot successfully appeal the decision.