Trump Advisor Bannon Seeks a Trial Delay on Contempt Charge

July 1, 2022 by Tom Ramstack
Trump Advisor Bannon Seeks a Trial Delay on Contempt Charge
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon arrives at the FBI Washington Field Office, Monday, Nov., 15, 2021, in Washington. Bannon surrendered to federal authorities to face contempt charges after defying a subpoena from a House committee investigating January’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

WASHINGTON — Former Trump White House advisor Steve Bannon is asking a Washington, D.C., federal judge to delay his trial for contempt of Congress after recent hearings of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol created an “unprecedented level of prejudicial pretrial publicity.”

Bannon is scheduled for trial July 18 but wants it rescheduled to at least mid-October.

His motion to the court apparently referred to the shocking testimony this week of former White House staff member Cassidy Hutchinson, who directly implicated former President Donald Trump in the Jan. 6, 2021, violence. 

Bannon refused to comply with a subpoena from the committee, which led to the contempt charge against him.

“When trial was scheduled [in January], neither the court nor the parties were aware of the June and upcoming July media blitz by” the House select committee’s hearings, said Bannon’s motion to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Bannon helped lead Trump’s 2016 campaign for president and served on his White House staff as a political advisor. The House select committee wanted him to sit for a deposition and turn over any of his documents related to the Jan. 6 attack, where Trump supporters tried to prevent Congress from certifying a presidential election win for Joe Biden.

The committee turned its attention to Bannon after his podcast mentioned Trump’s Jan. 6 speech on the White House Ellipse in the days before the event.

On his Jan. 5, 2021, podcast, Bannon said, “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow. Just understand this. All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.”

Bannon said in his motion to the court this week that the media frenzy evidenced by television ratings of the recent committee hearings shows he could never get a fair trial now.

An earlier motion from Bannon sought to get the charges against him dismissed because he said the committee violated congressional procedural rules. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols rejected that argument June 15.

Each of the two contempt charges Bannon faces carries a possible sentence of 30 days to one year in jail and a fine of $1,000.

The case is U.S. v. Bannon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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

A+
a-
  • delay
  • Steve Bannon
  • trial
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Law

    March 15, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Fani Willis Can Continue Case Against Trump With Single Condition, Judge Rules

    ATLANTA — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can continue to pursue an election interference case against former President Donald... Read More

    ATLANTA — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can continue to pursue an election interference case against former President Donald Trump and several others — as long as the prosecutor with whom she had a romantic relationship steps aside, a judge in Georgia ruled on Friday.... Read More

    March 13, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Georgia Judge Dismisses Some Charges Against Trump

    ATLANTA — Former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants facing criminal prosecution in Georgia for trying to overturn the 2020... Read More

    ATLANTA — Former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants facing criminal prosecution in Georgia for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election won a partial court victory Wednesday. A Georgia judge dismissed six of the 41 charges against the former president and his accused fellow conspirators.... Read More

    March 11, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Justice Dept. Sets Sights on Corrupt Foreign Companies

    WASHINGTON — Justice Department officials last week announced plans for a whistleblower program targeting foreign corporations accused of misconduct. They... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Justice Department officials last week announced plans for a whistleblower program targeting foreign corporations accused of misconduct. They plan to start the pilot program this year. The Justice Department already operates a whistleblower program that offers large rewards for tips about corporate misbehavior but... Read More

    March 8, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    States Sue SEC for Requiring Companies to Disclose Emissions

    WASHINGTON — Ten states sued the Securities and Exchange Commission this week over new rules requiring large companies to publicly... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Ten states sued the Securities and Exchange Commission this week over new rules requiring large companies to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. The state attorneys general say the new rules place an unfair regulatory and financial burden on corporations. The rules require large... Read More

    March 5, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Court’s Ruling Would Reduce Sentences for Some Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrectionists

    WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is trying to decide whether to appeal a federal judge's ruling Friday that would free... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is trying to decide whether to appeal a federal judge's ruling Friday that would free about 100 of the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters at the Capitol earlier than anticipated. They were sentenced to prison with an "enhancement" for interfering with the... Read More

    March 4, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Attorneys in Tesla Lawsuit Seek $6B in Legal Fees

    WILMINGTON, Del. — Attorneys who succeeded in getting a Delaware court to void Elon Musk's $55 billion compensation package from... Read More

    WILMINGTON, Del. — Attorneys who succeeded in getting a Delaware court to void Elon Musk's $55 billion compensation package from Tesla, Inc. on Friday asked the court for about $6 billion in legal fees.  They want most of their money paid in Tesla stock, which would... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top