Former President Donald Trump's adviser Steve Bannon was sentenced by a US court to a four-month jail term on Friday for refusing to cooperate with legislators investigating the attack on the United States Capitol in January last year.
Two counts of contempt of Congress were upheld against Bannon in July for his refusal to cooperate with a House of Representatives committee investigating the attack on January 6, 2021, by providing documents or testimony, according to Reuters.
Steve Bannon's Controversial Remarks
The prosecution asked for a six-month jail term, while the legal team of Steve Bannon sought probation. US District Judge Carl Nichols also fined Bannon $6,500. The court put off Bannon's imprisonment so he could file an appeal of his verdict.
A prosecutor, J.P. Cooney, testified during Bannon's hearing on Friday, alleging that the defendant voluntarily mocked the legislative body. According to him, what makes the case significant is the fact that Steve Bannon "is not above the law."
Until their reconciliation in early 2018, the 68-year-old Bannon was former US President Trump's main White House adviser. Bannon, a controversial figure, was instrumental in shaping Trump's administration with his advocacy of 'America First' right-wing politics and staunch rejection of immigration.
Steve Bannon has championed right-wing causes and politicians in the United States and across the world and has played a pivotal role in right-wing media. When submitting their court documents, the Justice Department took the unprecedented step of detailing a series of aggressive and disparaging remarks Bannon made against the justice system and politicians.
He claimed the panel's leader, Democrat Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, is "gutless," and that the hearing is a "show trial." Bannon exploited the conspiracy theories he spread on his podcast to attack those he saw as his political rivals.
Prosecutor Cooney stated that before Bannon's sentence on Jan. 6, he failed to comply with the probation office and did not give over any documents to the committee. NPR reported that the year before, after his indictment, Bannon told reporters, "this is going to be the misdemeanor from hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi, and Joe Biden."
After a trial in July, a jury found Bannon guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for failing to appear before the Jan. 6 select committee and another for failing to turn over requested papers.
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Bannon Expresses Confidence in His Lawyers
In September 2021, the select committee issued a subpoena for Bannon to testify about his role in Trump's efforts to undermine the 2020 election. Three weeks after the House decided to hold him in contempt, in November 2021, prosecutors filed charges against him.
On Friday, as per a report from Politico, Bannon wore an unremarkable green farm jacket and carried a copy of the Financial Times as he entered the courthouse. He was not sporting a tie and, as is his norm, had tucked all three of his visible pens inside the outermost of his three shirts.
During his brief statement, the ex-White House chief strategist said he was happy with his lawyers and had enough time to go over the probation office's assessment of his behavior and history.
When offered the opportunity all defendants have to explain their acts, Bannon, who sat impassively throughout the hearing, chose to avoid speaking to Nichols. He said that his lawyers had already made his case.
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