Attorney for Steve Bannon Responds to Contempt Conviction Upheld by Appeals Court
Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist for ex-President Donald Trump and host of the War Room podcast, is facing a contempt conviction for defying a subpoena from the January 6 Select Committee. In response to the ruling by an appeals court, Bannon’s attorney, David Schoen, issued a statement criticizing the decision as unjust and dangerous.
Schoen argued that the court’s decision sets a troubling precedent for criminal liability, questioning the threshold for holding defendants accountable. He emphasized the constitutional issues at stake in the case and expressed concern about potential political abuses of the congressional hearing process.
Prior to his legal troubles, Bannon served as the executive chairman for Truth Voices and later became the CEO of the Trump campaign in 2016. He briefly held a role as the chief strategist in the Trump administration before returning to Truth Voices in 2018.
The appeals court ruling indicates that Bannon may face a four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress. This outcome follows his conviction on two counts related to defying the committee’s subpoena. Schoen condemned the decision, arguing that it is unfair to hold a private citizen criminally liable for following legal advice, especially when executive privilege is invoked.
The case involving Bannon is part of a broader legal crackdown on individuals associated with the January 6 Capitol riot. Peter Navarro, another former White House advisor, was the first Trump administration official to serve a four-month prison sentence for contempt related to the same committee. Navarro began his sentence in March.
