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.
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.
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.
-
5 snappily written cartoons about vanishing food stamp benefitsCartoons Artists take on SNAP recipients, Halloween generosity, and more
-
The 5 best political thriller series of the 21st centuryThe Week Recommends Viewers can binge on most anything, including espionage and the formation of parliamentary coalitions
-
Sudan stands on the brink of another national schismThe Explainer With tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, one of Africa’s most severe outbreaks of sectarian violence is poised to take a dramatic turn for the worse
-
Gaza ceasefire teeters as Netanyahu orders strikesSpeed Read Israel accused Hamas of firing on Israeli troops
-
Argentina’s Milei buoyed by regional election winsSpeed Read Argentine President Javier Milei is an ally of President Trump, receiving billions of dollars in backing from his administration
-
Proposed Trump-Putin talks in Budapest on holdSpeed Read Trump apparently has no concrete plans to meet with Putin for Ukraine peace talks
-
Bolivia elects centrist over far-right presidential rivalSpeed Read Relative political unknown Rodrigo Paz, a centrist senator, was elected president
-
Madagascar president in hiding, refuses to resignSpeed Read Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid Gen Z protests and unrest
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace planSpeed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Israel intercepts 2nd Gaza aid flotilla in a weekSpeed Read The Israeli military intercepted a flotilla of nine boats with 145 activists aboard along with medical and food aid
