The chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, on Sunday said that the congressional committee that was tasked with investigating the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot plans to hold former Trump adviser Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for defying a subpoena.
In a statement, the California Democrat said that the full House will later hold a vote to hold Bannon in criminal contempt. The officials will then refer the contempt to the Justice Department, which, under the statute, has the duty to present that contempt to the grand jury.
Steve Bannon's Defiance of a Subpoena
The chairman of the special committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson, said that on Tuesday, the panel will vote to recommend charges against Bannon when the House returns to Washington, D.C. In a later statement on Thursday, Thompson said they will not tolerate defiance of their subpoenas. The official added that Bannon was hiding behind former United States President Donald Trump and using blank and vague statements to avoid responsibility.
Members of the full House will vote on the recommendation of the criminal charges after it has been approved by the Democratic-majority committee. Afterward, a House approval will send the recommendation to the Justice Department, which will then decide whether or not to enforce the prosecution, Newsweek reported.
The result of the process will determine the next course of action that the committee can take to force a testimony out of Bannon. The official is believed to be a crucial witness that has key information regarding former President Trump's involvement in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The contempt will also assist the committee in determining the efficacy of Trump's claims of executive privilege over his conversations with Bannon.
Bannon, and several other former Trump officials, including Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, and Kash Patel, have all been issued subpoenas by the committee in late September. Only Bannon has been met with contempt proceedings for his refusal to cooperate with the select committee.
If the committee votes to hold Bannon in criminal contempt, it would suggest the renewed power of a congressional subpoena. "This potential criminal contempt referral - or will-be criminal contempt referral for Steve Bannon - is the first shot over the bow," the committee's Rep. Adam Kinzinger said, VOX reported.
Vital Witness to the Jan. 6 Insurrection
A former attorney, John Dean, has expressed his belief that Bannon was "up to his eyeballs" in the Jan. 6 insurrection. The official said that the former Trump adviser can reveal just exactly how deep of a connection the Republican businessman played in the incident.
Dean said that it was the reason why it was so critical for the House Select Committee to be able to question Bannon and get his testimony. The official said Bannon was a vital witness to reveal the truth behind the unprecedented insurrection at Capitol Hill.
"I think he could lead to Trump or those closest to Trump, and I do believe that the indications are that Trump is much more involved in this whole thing that we think he was," Dean, who served as the White House counsel to Richard Nixon, said, Yahoo News reported.
Related Article:
