He must also pay a $200,000 fine, according to a document released Monday. The 68-year-old was convicted in the summer of ignoring a subpoena from the Commission of Inquiry into the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol. He was also charged with failing to provide the requested documents.
The verdict will be announced on Friday. The Justice Department argued in its motion that Bannon had followed an “evil strategy” by ignoring the commission’s powers. “The rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 didn’t just attack a building — they attacked the rule of law (…) By ignoring the Special Commission’s subpoena and its powers, the defendant compounded this attack.”
Bannon is the co-founder of the right-wing internet platform Breitbart and is one of the most influential voices in the ultra-conservative camp of American politics. He is credited with playing a key role in Trump’s surprising success at the time. Most recently, the Commission of Inquiry into the Capitol attack called on ex-President Donald Trump to testify under oath. If he disobeys the subpoena, the House of Representatives, like Bannon, could report him to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress. However, with a view to the upcoming congressional elections, time is running out.
(SDA)