Steve Bannon Sentenced to Jail for Contempt of Congress

October 21, 2022 by Tom Ramstack
Steve Bannon Sentenced to Jail for Contempt of Congress
Steve Bannon, center, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump and convicted of contempt of Congress, accompanied by his attorneys David Schoen, left, and Evan Corcoran, right, speaks to the media as he leaves the federal courthouse on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Washington. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

WASHINGTON — Steve Bannon was sentenced to four months in jail Friday in the first criminal conviction for contempt of Congress since the Watergate scandal of the early 1970s.

Bannon had been a political strategist for former President Donald Trump when he refused to testify after being subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols said during the sentencing hearing in Washington, D.C., that Bannon “has expressed no remorse for his actions” when he refused to comply with the subpoena.

He also fined Bannon $6,500.

Bannon’s attorneys said they would appeal, which prompted Nichols to say he should not have to serve jail time while the appeal is pending.

His conviction in July on two counts of contempt of Congress resulted from both declining to participate in a deposition and his refusal to turn over relevant documents.

Bannon’s attorneys argued he should be sentenced to probation only while prosecutors recommended a six-month jail term and $200,000 fine. Prosecutors said in court filings that Bannon pursued “a bad faith strategy of defiance and contempt.”

Nichols denied the defense team’s request for probation by explaining that the federal law required a minimum of one month in jail.

Bannon still has not testified about his knowledge of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which included inciting his supporters to march on the Capitol building while Congress certified a win for Joe Biden.

He said on his podcast the day before the Jan. 6 insurrection that “all hell is going to break loose tomorrow.”

The House Jan. 6 committee wanted to question him about whether his statement indicated he knew Trump or his supporters planned violence at the Capitol. He had left the White House in 2017 after a disagreement with Trump but remained in contact with other staff members at the time of the insurrection.

Bannon sat quietly when the judge delivered the sentence.

Bannon, who also is a media executive and former investment banker, faces other criminal charges in New York in connection with his “We Build the Wall” fundraising campaign. He told contributors their money would be spent on completing a U.S.-Mexico border wall but prosecutors said he used much of the money to enrich himself and his associates.

He is charged with fraud, money laundering and conspiracy in state court. Trump pardoned him from similar federal charges.

In related news on Friday, the House Select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021,  insurrection at the Capitol formally subpoenaed Donald Trump to testify before it.

The committee’s letter to Trump said its investigation demonstrated that “you personally orchestrated and oversaw a multi-part effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election and to obstruct the peaceful transition of power.”

A refusal by Trump to testify is likely to set off a legal standoff over the extent Congress can exert authority over a president that could include criminal punishment.

 Tom can be reached at [email protected]or on Twitter at @tramstack.

A+
a-
  • Contempt of Congress
  • 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