Steve Bannon, middle, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump and convicted of contempt of Congress, accompanied by his lawyer Evan Corcoran, proper, speaks to the media as he leaves the federal courthouse on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Washington. Bannon was sentenced to 4 months behind bars for defying a Jan. 6 committee subpoena. Jose Luis Magana, Related Press
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was sentenced to 4 months in jail by a federal choose on Friday over his determination to not testify in entrance of the Home choose committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Through the trial, U.S. Choose Carl Nichols rejected Bannon’s argument that he couldn’t be compelled to testify due to government privilege and located him responsible of contempt of Congress. At Friday’s sentencing listening to, Nichols additionally mentioned Bannon would want to pay a $6,500 fantastic.
Bannon’s lawyer, David Schoen, who represented former President Donald Trump throughout his second impeachment trial, spoke for 45 minutes on the sentencing listening to. He quoted from the Federalist Papers and criticized the Home committee, the Division of Justice and Congress, in accordance with CNN.
“Mr. Bannon ought to make no apology,” Schoen mentioned, in accordance with The Wall Avenue Journal. “He proceeded based mostly on his affordable, constitutional perception.”
However J.P. Cooney, and assistant U.S. lawyer, mentioned Bannon had “little interest in compliance.”
“He had an curiosity in making a public spectacle of the committee’s hearings,” Cooney mentioned. “All through this case the defendant has tried to make it about nothing apart from politics and retribution. He acted as if he's above the legislation. He isn't.”
Federal prosecutors had wished the choose to condemn Bannon to 6 months in jail, however as a substitute the choose sentenced him to 2 four-month jail phrases, which he mentioned might be served concurrently.
The choose mentioned Bannon might be launched whereas he recordsdata his attraction. After the sentencing listening to, Schoen informed reporters they do plan to file an attraction, in accordance with CNN.