Prosecutors Select Jury in Bannon Contempt Trial

July 18, 2022 by Tom Ramstack
Prosecutors Select Jury in Bannon Contempt Trial
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon departs the federal courthouse, Monday, July 18, 2022, in Washington. Jury selection began Monday in the trial of Bannon, a one-time adviser to former President Donald Trump, who faces criminal contempt of Congress charges after refusing for months to cooperate with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON — Prosecutors were promising a quick trial of former Trump administration advisor Steve Bannon after choosing a jury in the case Monday in Washington, D.C.

Bannon is being prosecuted on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about his inside knowledge at the White House of decisions leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Justice Department prosecutors said they plan to call only a few witnesses, mostly from the House select committee that subpoenaed him. The trial is not expected to last beyond this week.

Defense and prosecuting attorneys avoided questions to potential jury members about their feelings on Bannon and former President Donald Trump. They focused instead on how much news the potential jurors had seen or read about the Jan. 6 attack and the congressional investigation.

Bannon’s attorneys argued unsuccessfully for a delay of the trial until at least mid-October because of pre-trial publicity. U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols denied the request, saying he doubted the publicity would make it impossible to find an unbiased jury.

Everyone in the jury pool of 22 people acknowledged knowing about the case. Many said they watched at least part of the televised congressional hearings.

Their knowledge of the situation is not enough to get them removed from the jury pool under the court’s procedural rules, unless they express strong opinions.

One who was removed was a man who said he watched the congressional hearings. He then turned toward Bannon as he said, “I do believe he’s guilty.”

Jurors who made the final cut of 12 persons included a State Department employee, a health care worker, a legal aid worker and a retired woman who had been employed by a union. They said they had not formed an opinion on Bannon’s guilt or innocence.

Bannon sat mostly quiet, wearing a mask, with his hands clasped during jury selection. As he walked into court, he waved to the media and said, “Thanks for showing up.”

Before the trial, Bannon pledged he would make it the “misdemeanor from hell for [Attorney General] Merrick Garland, [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi, [D-Calif.], and [President] Joe Biden.”

More recently, he offered to testify to the House select committee in an attempt to avoid trial. The judge said regardless of whether Bannon changed his mind, he already was charged with criminal contempt.

He faces at least 30 days in jail on each of the two counts and as much as one year on each count if he is convicted.

So far, Nichols has generally favored most of the motions from the prosecution, perhaps indicating the Justice Department has a strong case.

Bannon is one of several Trump administration members who have tried to avoid the congressional subpoenas by invoking “executive privilege.” The executive privilege gives the president and his staff an immunity from prosecution and congressional inquiry for their official actions.

Last week, the Justice Department filed a pleading in a separate case against former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that addresses the executive privilege defense.

The Justice Department agreed White House staff members could claim immunity from prosecution in most cases but not while Congress is investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“The select committee has demonstrated that such information is critical to its investigation,” the Justice Department attorneys wrote.

Their filing was a response to a lawsuit filed by Meadows to block a subpoena against him. Meadows says he should be granted an “absolute immunity.”

The Justice Department argues for a “qualified immunity” after staff members leave the White House. In other words, they are immune from prosecution and congressional review unless Congress can show a need for their information.

The dispute presents a novel situation for the courts. The House select committee acknowledges that never in American history has there been such strong evidence of a coup by a sitting president.

The committee has another prime-time television hearing planned for Thursday evening. Committee members said they would show Trump’s “dereliction of duties.”

Tom can be reached at [email protected] and @TomRamstack

A+
a-
  • Contempt of Congress
  • jury selection
  • Steve Bannon
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Law

    May 16, 2025
    by Tom Ramstack
    Former US Attorney for DC Investigated on Ethics Complaint

    WASHINGTON — One of Ed Martin’s last acts as he left his job this week as interim U.S. attorney for... Read More

    WASHINGTON — One of Ed Martin’s last acts as he left his job this week as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia was to acknowledge to his staff that he is under investigation for ethics violations. Martin was appointed by President Donald Trump but... Read More

    May 9, 2025
    by Tom Ramstack
    Trump Nominates TV Host Jeanine Pirro as Interim US Attorney for Washington, DC

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced the selection Thursday of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to become the interim U.S.... Read More

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced the selection Thursday of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to become the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia after his previous nominee failed to win Senate support. Pirro, 73, is a former prosecutor, judge and longtime popular television... Read More

    May 7, 2025
    by Tom Ramstack
    Ed Martin’s Nomination as US Attorney Loses Favor Among Republicans

    WASHINGTON — The chances are dimming for Trump supporter Ed Martin to win Senate confirmation as the U.S. attorney for... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The chances are dimming for Trump supporter Ed Martin to win Senate confirmation as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Martin is currently the interim U.S. attorney. His term expires May 20. Republicans who normally endorse President Donald Trump's nominees for various... Read More

    Trump Administration Asks Judge to Toss Suit Restricting Access to Abortion Medication

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has asked a judge to toss out a lawsuit from three Republican-led states seeking... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has asked a judge to toss out a lawsuit from three Republican-led states seeking to cut off telehealth access to the abortion medication mifepristone. Justice Department attorneys on Monday stayed the legal course charted by the Biden administration, though they didn't... Read More

    May 5, 2025
    by Tom Ramstack
    Judge Overrules Trump’s Order Punishing a Major Law Firm

    WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Friday struck down an executive order by President Donald Trump that... Read More

    WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Friday struck down an executive order by President Donald Trump that sanctioned a law firm for its previous representation of Democratic leaders. The judge said Trump’s retaliation against the law firm of Perkins Coie violated First Amendment... Read More

    Former Vice President Pence Defends Constitution After Getting Profile in Courage Award

    BOSTON (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday repeatedly invoked the Constitution and said it is what “binds us all... Read More

    BOSTON (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday repeatedly invoked the Constitution and said it is what “binds us all together” after receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. Pence received the award for his refusal to go along with President Donald Trump’s efforts to remain... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top