U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols sentenced former White House advisor Steve Bannon to four months in prison Friday for refusing to cooperate with the Jan. 6 Select Committee.
The House of Representatives voted 229-202 to hold Bannon in contempt in October 2021 after he refused to comply with a subpoena from the committee. A federal jury convicted of Bannon of two contempt charges in July. In addition to the prison time, which will be stayed pending an appeal, Bannon was ordered to pay $6,500 in fines. Nichols, a Trump appointee, reportedly said that Bannon’s behavior demonstrated “a lack of respect for the legislative branch.”
BREAKING: Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon sentenced to four months of prison on each count of contempt of Congress concurrently and $6,500 in fines — and will stay the sentence pending appeal if that is filed in timely fashion
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) October 21, 2022
Bannon argued that he could not be compelled to testify due to executive privilege, although the Biden administration rejected his assertion. Bannon served in the White House in 2017, while the committee said it wanted to question him about activities in late 2020 and early 2021. The Department of Justice requested a six month jail sentence, while Bannon’s lawyers argued he should receive probation.
The House of Representatives also voted to hold former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in contempt, although the Department of Justice declined to charge him and former White House Deputy Communications Director Dan Scavino. (RELATED: Kayleigh McEnany, Stephen Miller Among 10 Trump Officials Subpoenaed To Testify Before Jan. 6 Committee)
Bannon blasted the committee following his conviction, describing it as a “show trial” with members who “didn’t have the guts to come down here and testify in open court.”