A federal jury discovered Donald Trump’s former aide Steve Bannon responsible of contempt of Congress on Friday for defying a subpoena to testify earlier than lawmakers investigating the assault on the US Capitol.
Bannon, who led Trump’s 2016 presidential election marketing campaign, was amongst lots of of individuals referred to as by a House of Representatives committee to testify concerning the storming of Congress by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.
The 68-year-old Republican strategist didn’t seem on the summons date or present requested paperwork, and was indicted on two fees of contempt of Congress.
The 12-person jury deliberated for lower than three hours earlier than discovering Bannon responsible of each misdemeanor fees.
Bannon, who served as Trump’s technique chief on the White House earlier than being sacked in 2017, faces a minimal of 30 days in jail and a most sentence of a yr for every rely.
Sentencing was set for October.
Presenting the federal government’s case, prosecutor Amanda Vaughn informed the jury that Bannon was “not above the law” and had made a “deliberate decision” to not obey the subpoena.
Bannon’s attorneys didn’t name any witnesses through the temporary trial and he didn’t testify in his personal protection.
Bannon’s lawyer Evan Corcoran denied his consumer had ignored the subpoena, saying the date was “the subject of ongoing discussions and negotiation” and “flexible.”
The choice to carry Bannon in contempt was politically motivated, Corcoran claimed.
Vaughn stated the House committee had trigger to consider Bannon and different Trump advisors might have info on hyperlinks between the White House and the Capitol rioters.
According to the committee, Bannon spoke to Trump the day earlier than 1000’s of his supporters stormed the Capitol in an effort to dam the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.
They had been egged on by Trump in a fiery speech close to the White House, throughout which he repeated his false claims of election fraud.
After refusing to testify for months, Bannon lastly agreed to cooperate with the House investigation, a transfer prosecutors dismissed as a “last-ditch attempt to avoid accountability.”
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