Steve Bannon indicted for contempt of Congress

The jury in the trial of Steve Bannon announced, Friday, the indictment of the former chief strategist of Donald Trump in contempt of Congress for refusing to question him in the investigation into the deadly storming of the Capitol building on January 6 last year.

Bannon, 68, was convicted of two misdemeanors for refusing to cooperate in the investigation.

Punishment has not been specified, but each case of contempt of Congress can result in between 30 days and one year in prison, as well as fines of up to $100,000 (equivalent to about 1 million crowns).

“the black day”

Bannon was one of former US President Donald Trump’s closest advisers in the 2016 presidential election campaign. The following year, he was named chief strategist for the then-president in the White House. Bannon’s defense argued during closing arguments Friday that the investigation was politically motivated.

Attorney General Molly Gaston said the attack marked a “dark day” in US history.

– There is nothing political in investigating the cause of the 6th of January and making sure it does not happen again, according to Reuters.

suspected of planning

According to the congressional committee investigating the break-in, Bannon spoke with Trump twice the day before the attack.

In addition, he was said to have attended a planning meeting at the Willard Hotel in Washington. The hotel is said to have served as a “command center” for attempts to prevent Joe Biden from becoming president.

During the trial, an audio clip from Bannon’s podcast was also played, in the clip the former counsel can be heard saying the phrase “all hell will break down tomorrow.”

The ruling is the first of its kind since 1974, when Judge J. Gordon Liddy, the conspirator in the Watergate scandal, is guilty of contempt of Congress. Bannon’s trial lasted five days and the jury consisted of eight men and four women. The relay will be announced on October 21.