Four months in jail for ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon At least 50 dead in protests against transitional government in Chad

Steve Bannon, the chief strategist for former US President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to four months in prison for ignoring the US Congress. He must also pay a fine of USD 6,500 (about 6,645 euros), American media reported Friday from the courtroom of a federal court in the capital Washington. Bannon had ignored a subpoena from the Commission of Inquiry into the January 2021 Capitol attack and failed to provide the requested documents. The 68-year-old was therefore found guilty in July, and the verdict was announced on Friday.

Judge Carl Nichols said in his sentencing that ignoring Congressional subpoenas “showed a disrespect to the legislature, which carries out the will of the people of the United States.” Bannon “showed no remorse” and “accepted no responsibility for his refusal to comply with the subpoena.” Observers say Bannon is the first person in more than 50 years to be sentenced to prison for ignoring a congressional subpoena. Immediately after the verdict was announced, Bannon’s lawyer announced that he would appeal the decision. Until then, the imposition of the fine will be suspended.

The US Department of Justice had demanded six months in prison and a $200,000 fine. It argued 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.”

However, Bannon’s lawyers had only suggested probation and house arrest. Bannon argued in the proceedings, among other things, that he believed he was not allowed to disclose information from his contacts with Trump because it was protected by the so-called “executive privilege” for government officials. The “executive privilege” protects close advisers to the US president from subpoenas related to their work at the White House. But Bannon left the government in mid-2017 and acted as a private individual on January 6, 2021.

After the verdict was announced Friday, Bannon took the opportunity to speak out in court against the work of the Commission of Inquiry. “On Nov. 8, they (voters) will pass judgment on the illegitimate Biden regime and on (…) the entire commission,” he said, referring to the upcoming US midterm elections. If Republicans gain a majority in the House of Representatives, the first thing he will do is impeach US Attorney General Merrick Garland, he threatened.

There had been serious arguments between Democrats and Republicans over the composition of the committee. In the end, only two Republican MPs participated, both proven Trump critics and no longer in the new House of Representatives.

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 an important role in Trump’s past success. The Capitol Bombing Investigation Committee assesses the events of January 6, 2021, when Trump supporters violently stormed the Houses of Parliament in Washington, where Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election was about to be confirmed.

Recently, the Commission of Inquiry called on 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 on November 8, time is running out. (sda/dpa)