Washington – A federal appeals court has recently upheld the criminal conviction of former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, a decision that could potentially lead to his imprisonment after years of legal battles. Bannon, 70, was convicted in 2022 of contempt of Congress for his refusal to provide testimony or documents to the committee investigating the 6 January Capitol riot. He was sentenced to four months in prison and fined $6,500, but has managed to remain out of jail on bond as he challenges his conviction.
The case has been characterized by Bannon’s legal team as politically motivated, with claims that he was attempting to negotiate with the committee rather than blatantly ignoring subpoenas. Bannon himself has stated that he was merely following legal advice when he declined to testify before the House committee investigating the 2021 attack aimed at halting Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
In a unanimous ruling, the US DC Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Bannon’s argument, stating that it conflicted with established law. Justice Bradley Garcia, representing the court, expressed that the “advice of counsel” defense offered by Bannon was not a valid defense. Bannon now has seven days to file another appeal before potentially having to serve his four-month sentence.
Bannon’s lawyer, David Schoen, plans to petition for the full 11-member DC appeals court to reconsider the case, arguing that Bannon would have been in violation of the law if he had testified before Congress due to executive privilege invoked by former President Donald Trump. Another former Trump aide, Peter Navarro, had already reported to prison in March after his own contempt of Congress conviction.
As a key player in Trump’s successful 2016 election campaign and former White House chief strategist, Bannon’s legal troubles highlight the ongoing fallout from the 6 January Capitol riot and the attempts to challenge the 2020 election results. Despite leaving the White House following a controversial far-right rally in 2017, Bannon maintained significant influence and alignment with Trump’s circle even after his departure.