Steve Bannon arrives for a court appearance over contempt of Congress, November 15, 2021

UPDATE, NOV 29:

The Justice Department says Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon is lodging “frivolous” complaints to evade a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

In a 10-page filing on Sunday night, the Department said Bannon’s defense team is pursuing the complaints — and a statement in The Washington Post — to whip up a public furor supporting their client’s defiance, ordered by Trump as he tried to escape any responsibility over the attack.

Prosecutors said Bannon’s attorney Evan Corcoran has repeatedly rejected initiatives for an evidence-sharing agreement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Vaughn wrote:

The defense’s misleading claims, failure to confer, unexplained wholesale opposition, and extrajudicial statements make clear the defense’s real purpose: to abuse criminal discovery to try this case in the media rather than in court.

Vaughn cited Bannon’s provocations — including unsupported claims against President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Attorney General Merrick Garland — as evidence that he is trying to create a diversionary spectacle.

The misleading and frivolous nature of the defendant’s claims of prejudice demonstrate that they are just a cover for the real reason the defendant opposes a protective order in this case and which he and his counsel have expressed in their extrajudicial statements — that the defendant wishes to have trial through the press.

UPDATE, NOV 16:

Donald Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon was charged with contempt of Congress on Monday.

Bannon entered no plea in a brief court hearing. He will be arraigned on Thursday.

The far-right activist was released on conditions of surrendering his passport, reporting once a week to pre-trial services, and notifying authorities of travel plans.

Bannon later continued his invective and instigation in his War Room podcast, “We’re taking down the Biden regime every day. I want you guys to stay focused, stay on message.”

ORIGINAL ENTRY, NOV 13: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former chief strategist, is indicted for contempt of Congress, after defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

A federal grand jury handed down the indictment on Friday on two counts of contempt of Congress: refusing to testify before the committee, and refusing to provide documents.

A Justice Department spokesman said Bannon is expected to turn himself into authorities on Monday, appearing in Federal District Court in Washington later that day. Each count could be punished by 30 days to a year in prison.

The committee has issued subpoenas to more than 20 former Trump aides. Trump has commanded that they not cooperate.

After Bannon’s refusal last month, the House committee recommended the contempt charges. The full House voted 229-206 in support.

See also House Holds Bannon in Contempt Over Capitol Attack Hearings

A federal judge this week ordered Trump’s handover of documents, rejecting his claim of executive privilege. The transfer was scheduled for Friday evening, but was held up by a federal appeals court, which gave Trump attorneys until November 30 to argue their appeal.

Bannon was also arrested in August on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He was involved in We Build The Wall, a campaign for Trump’s project on the US-Mexico border which raised more than $25 million. The organizers then allegedly used the money for themselves.

Bannon, who was also Trump’s campaign manager in 2016, was given a pre-emptive pardon hours before Trump reluctantly left office in January 2021.

Bannon was involved in the organizing of the “Stop the Steal” rallies which preceded the Capitol attack. On his radio show on January 5, he promised “all hell is going to break loose tomorrow”.

See also EA on BBC: Trump and Capitol Attack; Infrastructure; and Paul Gosar’s Video Violence
EA on Monocle 24 and Radio FM4: Can Trump Bury the Capitol Attack Investigation?

Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement:

Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law, and pursues equal justice under the law.

Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.

Meadows Defies Committee

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows may also face contempt charges after he failed to provide information to the House committee by a Friday morning deadline.

Meadows’s lawyer George Terwilliger said his client was “duty bound” to follow Trump’s demands.

The committee chair and vice-chair, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming said, “Mr. Meadows’s actions today — choosing to defy the law — will force the select committee to consider pursuing contempt or other proceedings to enforce the subpoena.”

They noted that more than 150 witnesses have cooperated with the investigation, providing “critical details”: “Mr. Meadows, Mr Bannon, and others who go down this path won’t prevail in stopping the Select Committee’s effort getting answers for the American people about January 6th.”