Bannon sentenced to prison time and $6,500 fine for contempt of Congress


Former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon has been sentenced to four months in prison and fined $6,500 for refusing a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee, ABC News reports. In July, Bannon was found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress after only three hours of deliberation.
The sentence is less than what the Justice Department was seeking, a six-month sentence and fine of $200,000, reports CNN. They argued that Bannon "pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt" when the subpoena was announced, The New York Times reports.
Judge Carl J. Nichols, who oversaw the case, agreed Bannon showed "no remorse for his actions" and hasn't shown "he has any intention of complying with the subpoena," as Bannon has argued he is protected by executive privilege. However, Nichols saw Bannon's Navy service and lack of criminal history as factors in giving him a lower sentence, the Times continues.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Nichols also said Bannon would not have to serve his sentence until after his appeal of the conviction.
Bannon's attorney David Schoen said he believes "the appeal in this case is bulletproof," and that Bannon "never got to tell the reason for his actions."
In response to his sentence, Bannon said, "Today was my judgment day by the judge," but continued to say that the midterms will be judgment day for the Democrats.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Hollywood's new affection for the British smile
Talking Point Natural teeth are bucking the trend of the classic Hollywood smile
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 27, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: March 27, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clash
speed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Turkey arrests Istanbul mayor, a top Erdogan rival
Speed Read Protests erupted in Turkey after authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel strikes Gaza, breaking ceasefire
Speed Read 326 Palestinians were killed in the first major attack since Netanyahu's government signed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Houthis vow retaliation amid US airstrikes
Speed Read Trump promises the US will use 'overwhelming lethal force' against the Houthis until they stop attacking Red Sea ships
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pakistan train hostage standoff ends in bloodshed
Speed Read Pakistan's military stormed a train hijacked by separatist militants, killing 33 attackers and rescuing hundreds of hostages
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published