International

Trump’s Ally Found Guilty Of Contempt Of Congress

Published

2 years ago

Jul 23, 2022.

Yinka Akanbi

The former White House chief strategist is said to have been an unofficial adviser to Trump at the time of the insurrection on 6 January 2021
He faces up to two years in jail and up to $200,000 (£167,000) in fines

EDITOR’S PICK

EKO HOT BLOG reports that a US jury has found Donald Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon guilty on two counts of contempt of Congress.

Bannon, 68, was indicted last year over his refusal to co-operate with the congressional committee probing the events leading up to the Capitol riot.

The former White House chief strategist is said to have been an unofficial adviser to Trump at the time of the insurrection on 6 January 2021.

He faces up to two years in jail and up to $200,000 (£167,000) in fines.

Speaking to reporters outside court, Bannon vowed to have the case reversed on what his lawyer called a “bullet-proof appeal”.

“We may have lost the battle here today, but we’re not going to lose this war,” he said.

His sentencing has been set for 21 October.

Lawyers with the US Department of Justice had argued that Bannon felt “above the law” by ignoring a “mandatory” legal summons from the congressional committee investigating the 6 January breach of the US Capitol.

“Our government only works if people show up, it only works if people play by the rules, and it only works if people are held accountable when they do not,” prosecutor Molly Gaston said during closing statements.

“The defendant chose allegiance to Donald Trump over compliance with the law.”

FURTHER READING

Despite vowing to go “medieval” on his enemies, Bannon’s defence team rested its case on Thursday without him testifying and without calling any other witnesses.

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