Steve Bannon Freed After 4-Month Contempt Of Congress Sentence

Steve Bannon, a former top adviser in the Trump administration, was released from prison on October 29, after serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress.

Bannon's Time in Prison

During his "WarRoom" podcast, Bannon stated that his time in federal prison had empowered him. He claimed to be more energized and focused than ever before. The 70-year-old served his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut. His release followed a federal judge's denial of his request for early release on October 22. Bannon began his prison term in July after the Supreme Court declined his request to avoid his four-month sentence. Bannon referred to himself as a "political prisoner" when he started serving his sentence in July. He expressed pride in going to prison, stating that he was standing up to Attorney General Merrick Garland and what he referred to as a "corrupt" Justice Department.

Contempt of Congress Conviction

In 2022, a jury convicted Bannon on two counts of contempt of Congress after he failed to comply with requests from the House select committee investigating the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021. Bannon claimed that former President Donald Trump had extended executive privilege over his testimony. David Schoen, Bannon's attorney, argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that the district court had wrongly excluded evidence surrounding another attorney advising Bannon that he didn't have to comply with the subpoenas because Trump had invoked that privilege.

Appeals Court Ruling

The appeals court ruled that Bannon's advice-of-attorney defense was not a valid defense. Judge Brad Garcia, writing for the court, explained that a contrary rule would contravene the text of the contempt statute and hinder Congress's investigatory authority. The court affirmed Bannon's conviction because it had no basis to depart from the binding precedent and none of Bannon’s other challenges to his convictions had merit.

Other Legal Challenges

Bannon faces other criminal charges in New York, where a trial in his border fundraising case is set to begin on December 9. Prosecutors allege that Bannon helped divert over $100,000 to a co-founder of the nonprofit WeBuildTheWall Inc., who was allegedly receiving a secret salary after Bannon and others had promised donors that every dollar would be used to help construct a wall along the U.S.–Mexico border. Bannon has pleaded not guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges, dismissing them as "nonsense." In 2021, Trump pardoned Bannon in a federal case similar to the one he’s currently facing from New York prosecutors.

Other Trump Advisers and Legal Issues

Bannon entered prison the same month that another former Trump White House adviser, Peter Navarro, was released under similar circumstances. Navarro claimed executive privilege in defying a congressional subpoena, but D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta said he hadn’t shown enough evidence the privilege was asserted. Trump is also facing potential prison time for his role in the events of January 6, 2021, but has successfully avoided trial in Washington. His appeal on presidential immunity resulted in a landmark Supreme Court case and a lengthy delay of the pre-trial process for special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution of him.

Bottom Line

The release of Steve Bannon after serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress sparks questions about the impact of his time in prison and what his future holds, both politically and legally. What are your thoughts on this development? Do you think his release will influence the political landscape? Share this article with your friends and discuss these questions. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, delivered every day at 6pm.