A federal grand jury has indicted former top Trump adviser Steve Bannon for contempt of Congress.
The development comes after the House voted to hold Bannon in criminal contempt. That vote came after he defied a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
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Congress' vote left the decision on whether or not to prosecute Bannon up to the Justice Department.
Today's announcement revealed that the DOJ promptly began working on charging Bannon with two counts of contempt of Congress. First, for refusing to provide documents to congressional investigators and, second, for refusing to sit for a deposition.
The news comes on the same day that former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows failed to appear before the Jan. 6 committee. Insiders expect the committee to recommend criminal contempt charges against Meadows, too.
As CNBC reports:
“Today's charges reflect the Department's steadfast commitment to these principles,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the statement.
A lawyer for Bannon told the House select committee in October that he would not comply with its subpoena because former President Donald Trump had instructed him not to produce any documents or testimony “concerning privileged material.”
Bannon was a senior White House advisor during the first seven months of former President Donald Trump's tenure. He was fired by Trump years before the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which is the subject of the select committee's investigation.
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Didn’t we have an Obama Attorney General cited for Contempt of Congress? This has happened 30 times, with a couple instances of punitive action.
Eric Holder was the first U.S. Attorney in history to be held in criminal contempt – for withholding documents related to Fast and Furious.
Hell, at least half the country holds congress in contempt. As poor as they function they are proving that they only work for themselves, not we the people.
Put the Republican in jail. But let a DemocRat slide. Now you see why Lady Justice wears a blindfold. It’s not, so she can dispenses Justice. It’s because she’ ashamed of US. As WE let those, in charge dispenses it to others.
It seems to me Steve Bannon has done quite a but less to be accused of than Hillary Clinton. I believe in equality of justice, so bring Hillary before the courts before Bannon.
Let’s not make this another exercise in whataboutism. Bannon hadn’t worked in the White House for over three years. His conversations in 2020-21 weren’t protected by executive privilege. Moreover, Trump is no longer president. He can’t argue that either. Plus, Bannon isn’t a good guy. He ripped off HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of conservative donors for his “We Build the Wall” project that did WAY MORE to pad his bank account than secure the border. Plus, Trump pardoned him! What’s up with that?! If it was a witch hunt, why not pardon “We Build the Wall” co-founder Brian Kolfage and everyone else. I mean, c’mon guys…