Steve Bannon, the former adviser to President Trump, has been ordered by a federal judge to begin serving his four-month prison sentence by July 1. This decision follows his conviction for contempt of Congress related to the investigation by the now-defunct House Jan. 6 committee.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, sided with prosecutors during a Wednesday hearing, mandating Bannon’s self-surrender after his appeal was rejected by a three-judge appeals panel last month.
“The government’s motion is granted,” stated Judge Nichols. Bannon had opposed the order, arguing that he intended to take his appeal to the Supreme Court if necessary and should remain free in the interim.
In 2022, Bannon was found guilty of defying a subpoena by failing to appear for a deposition and refusing to turn over documents to the House Jan. 6 committee. The Justice Department moved to incarcerate Bannon immediately after the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals panel dismissed his appeal, asserting there was no longer a “substantial question of law” likely to reverse the conviction or result in a new trial.
Don't Miss
“We believe it is the exact opposite. It is unlikely,” argued prosecutor John Crabb.
Bannon’s legal team, led by attorney David Schoen, contended that there was “no basis” for immediate imprisonment, claiming that his appeal still had potential to reach a higher authority capable of overturning the key precedent upholding the conviction.
“Alan Dershowitz and everyone said this case is going to have to be decided by the Supreme Court,” Schoen argued, eliciting a head shake from Judge Nichols.
Schoen, alongside Evan Corcoran, who previously represented Trump in his classified documents case, represented Bannon in the hearing. Bannon remained mostly silent, conferring with Corcoran before the session began and observing the proceedings.
Bannon is one of two individuals charged and convicted for noncompliance with the Jan. 6 committee’s orders. His impending incarceration marks a significant development in the legal aftermath of the investigation into the Capitol riot.
