Trump adviser Steve Bannon slams Biden after court appearance

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WASHINGTON (AP) – Former President Donald Trump’s adviser Steve Bannon on Monday tried to press criminal charges for his defiance of a Congressional investigation into the deadly Jan.6 riots on Capitol Hill as politically motivated, lashing out at the President Joe Biden and others.

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Bannon, indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress on Friday, made his first court appearance, and Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather released him on his personal recognition after a brief hearing. Hours earlier, Bannon turned himself into an FBI field office in Washington, flanked by bodyguards dressed in black.

Meriweather’s conditions for Bannon’s release did not include an order not to speak publicly about the case. Bannon, moments after the hearing, addressed a crowd of reporters in front of federal court.

“I will never back down. This time they hired the wrong guy, ”said Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist and one of more than 30 people close to the former Republican president called to testify before the Democratic-led House Select Committee investigating on Sept. 6. January. attack.

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Bannon targeted Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“I’m telling you right now, this is going to be a misdemeanor from hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden,” Bannon said.

“We are going to go on the offensive. We’re tired of playing defense, ”said Bannon, who claimed without offering evidence that Biden ordered Garland to press charges.

Bannon was charged with one count of contempt for refusing to appear for a deposition before the committee and a second count for refusing to produce documents. The House voted Oct. 21 to hold Bannon in contempt, leaving the Justice Department, led by Garland, the decision to press charges.

Before surrendering to the FBI, Bannon told reporters: “We are toppling the Biden regime,” although he did not specify what he meant by “toppling.” A protester standing behind him held a sign that read “Coup Conspirator.”

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A crowd of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6 in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid formal congressional certification of his electoral defeat to Biden. The committee is looking at Trump’s actions related to those events. Bannon is the first to face criminal charges stemming from the panel’s investigation.

Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail along with a fine of up to $ 100,000, according to the Justice Department. On Friday, the department had said that Bannon faced a fine of up to $ 1,000.

Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail along with a monetary fine.

Meriweather imposed several conditions on Bannon, including surrendering his US passport. Bannon did not plead guilty, with an arraignment scheduled for Thursday.

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EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE

Trump has tried to thwart the House committee and ordered his associates not to cooperate. In challenging his subpoena, Bannon cited Trump’s insistence, already rejected by a judge, that the former president has the right to keep requested material confidential under a legal doctrine called executive privilege.

Bannon, a prominent figure in right-wing media circles, was an architect of Trump’s 2016 presidential victory and served as chief White House strategist in 2017. Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker and Navy veteran He has promoted right-wing causes and candidates in the United States and abroad.

Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail along with a monetary fine.

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During the hearing, Bannon frequently conferred with his two attorneys, smiling and laughing at times in the courtroom. Prompted by a court clerk, Bannon raised his hand and vowed to abide by the conditions of his release before trial.

Bannon is one of more than 30 people close to Trump ordered by the House committee to testify about the run-up to Jan.6, when a mob of supporters of the former Republican president stormed the Capitol in a failed attempt to avoid formal congressional certification. his electoral defeat to Biden.

Trump has tried to thwart the Democratic-led committee, which is examining his actions related to the unrest, and ordered his former associates not to cooperate. In challenging his subpoena, Bannon cited Trump’s insistence, already rejected by a judge, that he has the right to keep requested material confidential under a legal doctrine called executive privilege.

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Bannon, a prominent figure in right-wing media circles, was an architect of Trump’s 2016 presidential victory and served as chief White House strategist in 2017. Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker and Navy veteran He has promoted right-wing causes and candidates in the United States and abroad.

Bannon was separately charged last year with defrauding donors in a private fundraising effort to push Trump’s promise to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. Trump pardoned Bannon before the case could go to trial.

The House committee has said that Bannon made public statements suggesting that he knew beforehand about the “extreme events” that would occur on January 6. Bannon said on a Jan. 5 podcast that “all hell will break loose tomorrow.”

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Shortly before the riot, Trump made a speech to supporters near the White House repeating his false claims that the election was stolen from him through widespread electoral fraud and urging them to go to Capitol Hill and “fight like hell” to “stop the robbery. “. “

House investigators hope Bannon’s charges will motivate other witnesses, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who on Friday declined to appear for a deposition, to testify.

Bannon’s attorney, David Schoen, after Monday’s hearing emphasized that his client’s actions toward his subpoena were guided by Trump’s invocation of executive privilege.

“You can’t put the genie back in the bottle,” Schoen said. “Mr. Bannon acted as advised by his attorneys by failing to appear and fail to deliver documents in this case.”