A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied Steve Bannon’s emergency appeal to delay his July 1 prison sentence. The 2-1 decision was issued with Judge Justin Walker, appointed by former President Donald Trump, dissenting.
Bannon, a former Trump adviser, was sentenced to four months in prison in October 2022 for defying a congressional subpoena from the Jan. 6 Committee. The Department of Justice intervened earlier this week, urging the court to reject Bannon’s appeal for a delay.
In a filing, the Justice Department argued that Bannon’s request for special treatment is incompatible with the principle of equal justice under the law. The department contended that the even-handed application of the bail statute requires Bannon’s continued detention.
Bannon’s lawyer had argued that he should remain out of prison due to his intention to “vigorously pursue his remaining appeals.” The lawyer claimed that it has been 50 years since the government successfully convicted someone for failing to adequately respond to a congressional subpoena, and that Bannon intends to challenge his conviction through the appeals process.
