WASHINGTON: Donald Trump's former aide Steve Bannon (pix) arrived in court Friday to hear a judge hand down his sentence for refusing to testify in the congressional probe of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
The longtime Trump strategist, who could be facing prison, was greeted by protesters yelling “Traitor” Fascist!” as he arrived at the federal courthouse in Washington.
Bannon struck a defiant tone, telling reporters: “Remember, this illegitimate regime, their judgment day is on 8th of November,“ in reference to the coming congressional elections.
He later appeared in the courtroom, dressed in his trademark multiple layered collared shirts, chatting with his attorneys and going through his phone before the sentencing hearing commenced.
One of the masterminds behind Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and victory, Bannon was found guilty in July on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to testify over the riot at the Capitol by the former president's supporters.
The Justice Department has urged a six-month sentence for the rare charge, saying in a filing late Thursday that, rather than cooperate with the court, he “affirmatively frustrated a congressional investigation of great national importance.”
It rejected Bannon's request of a sentence of mere probation.
The court has also requested a $200,000 fine, the maximum possible on the charge.
Even if given a prison sentence, Bannon could remain out of jail well into next year by appealing his case.
Bannon, who currently runs a streaming political commentary website, earlier this week asked the court to place a stay on implementation of any sentence while his appeal of the original verdict goes ahead.
“Mr. Bannon respectfully asserts that a sentence of incarceration would violate his constitutional rights,“ his submission said.
- 'Assaulted the rule of law' -
The investigation by a special House committee has depicted Bannon as knowing in advance of the plan by hardline Trump supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6 to prevent Democrat Joe Biden from being confirmed as the next president.
It also showed him advocating for Congress to block Biden -- who defeated Trump in the November 2020 election -- from becoming president.
“The rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building -- they assaulted the rule of law upon which this country was built and through which it endures,“ the Justice Department told the court in its sentencing memo.
“By flouting the Select Committee’s subpoena and its authority, the defendant exacerbated that assault.”
Bannon served in the White House for the first seven months of Trump's term as chief strategist, leaving reportedly due to conflicts with other top staffers.
In 2020, Bannon was charged with wire fraud and money laundering for taking millions of dollars for personal use that donors had contributed for the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico.
While others were found guilty in the scheme, Trump issued a blanket pardon for Bannon before leaving office in January 2021, leading to the dismissal of the charges against him.-AFP
