Key sentence:
- According to the subpoena issued by the select committee, Bannon was considered to have information related to January 6.
- The charge comes after a second witness, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, defied the committee’s subpoena on Friday.
A federal grand jury indicted former Trump adviser Steve Bannon on charges of contempt of Congress on Friday.
Bannon, 67, faces two counts of contempt: refusing to produce records relating to the January 6 rioting at the U.S. Capitol to congressional investigators and refusing to sit for a deposition, according to a news statement from the Department of Justice.
According to the Justice Department, each offence may result in a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
On September 23, 2021, a subpoena was issued to Bannon, requiring him to appear before the House of Representatives select committee and submit relevant documents.
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According to the subpoena issued by the select committee, Bannon was considered to have information related to January 6. According to the committee, Bannon has made public statements implying that he knew ahead of time that “extreme events” would occur on January 6.
Bannon served as former U.S. President Donald Trump’s chief strategist and counsellor until 2017, after which he became a private citizen. He also played an important part in Trump’s 2016 election and previously led the right-wing outlet Breitbart News.
The charge comes after a second witness, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, defied the committee’s subpoena on Friday. Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the panel’s chairman, said he would recommend contempt charges against Meadows next week.
Meadows could face prosecution from the Justice Department if he is convicted in contempt by the full House.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Bannon’s indictment demonstrates the Justice Department’s “steadfast commitment” to upholding the rule of law.
This isn’t the first time Bannon has been in legal trouble. In August of last year, he was detained after being hauled off a luxury yacht on claims that he and three of his accomplices defrauded donors wanting to construct a southern border wall. Trump granted him clemency in the final hours of his administration.
Source: Global News
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