Washington, Nov 13 : A US federal grand jury has indicted Steve Bannon, a one-time adviser to former President Donald Trump, charging him with contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena by the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, the Justice Department announced.Washington, Nov 13, 2018 : .A US federal grand juror has indicted Steve Bannon.He was a former adviser to President Donald Trump and is being charged with contempt of Congress.
This accusation comes after he refused to comply with a subpoena issued by the House select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Riot.The indictment came as Attorney General Merrick Garland has been under pressure to prosecute Bannon after the House voted on October 27 to hold the former chief strategist of Trump in criminal contempt of Congress and referred the resolution to the Justice Department, reports Xinhua news agency.
According to Xinhua news agency, the indictment was issued after Attorney General Merrick Garland was pressured to bring Bannon to justice following a House vote on October 27, which held Trump’s former chief strategist in criminal contempt.The resolution was referred to the Justice Department.
“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law,” Garland said in a statement.Garland stated in a statement that “Since my very first day in office I have promised the Justice Department employees that we would together show the American people through word and deed that our department adheres the rule of law, follows facts and the laws and pursues equal justice according to the law.”
“Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”.”Today’s charges reflect our department’s unwavering commitment to these principles.”
Bannon’s indictment contained two charges of contempt of Congress, according to the Justice Department, “one contempt count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol”.According to the Justice Department, Bannon was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress.One count involved his refusal of appearing for a deposition, and the other concerned his refusal of producing documents despite being subpoenaed by the House Select Committee to investigate the January 6th Attack at the United States Capitol.
Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of $100 to $1,000, the Department said, adding a federal district court judge will determine any sentence for the 67-year-old Trump loyalist.Each count of contempt is punishable by a minimum of 30 days in jail and a maximum time of one year in prison.
A fine of $100-$1,000 can also be imposed, according to the Department.The Department added that a federal judge will decide any sentence for Trump loyalists aged 67 years old.
The House January 6 committee subpoenaed documents and testimony from Bannon on September 23.On September 23, Bannon’s testimony and documents were subpoenaed by the House January 6 committee.He missed both the October 7 deadline for documents production and the October 14 deadline for deposition.He missed the October 7 deadline to produce documents and the October 14 deadline to depose.
Bannon’s lawyer, Robert Costello, told the committee his client would not cooperate with the investigation because he had been so directed by Trump, who claimed the documents and testimony being sought were potentially protected by presidential executive privilege.Robert Costello, Bannon’s lawyer, stated to the committee that his client would not cooperate in the investigation due to Trump’s directive.
Trump claimed the documents and testimony sought were protected by presidential executive privilege.
Costello told the committee that “the executive privileges belong to President Trump” and “we must accept his direction and honour his invocation of executive privilege”.
Costello stated to the committee that President Trump has executive privileges and that he must direct us and honor his invocation.
President Joe Biden has refused to assert executive privilege with respect to witnesses and documents, citing the extraordinary nature of the attack on Capitol Hill on January 6 to stop Congress from certifying the result of the 2020 presidential election.
President Joe Biden refused to invoke executive privilege in respect of witnesses and documents.He cited the extraordinary nature the attack on Capitol Hill on Jan 6th to prevent Congress from certifying 2020’s presidential election results.
In seeking documents and deposition from Bannon, the ommittee said in the subpoena that Bannon spoke with Trump in the run-up to January 6, that he was present at a hotel in downtown D.C.used by the Trump team as a command centre as the attack unfolded, and that he said on his radio podcast one day prior to the attack that “all hell is going to break loose tomorrow.”.The subpoena stated that Bannon had spoken with Trump during the period leading up to January 6th.He was also present at a downtown D.C.hotel used as a command center by Trump’s team.One day before the attack, he declared on his radio show that “all hell will break loose tomorrow.”
The select committee has so far issued subpoenas to 21 former officials in the Trump administration for documents, testimony, or both, related to their involvement in the Capitol riot.So far, 21 ex-Trump officials have been subpoenaed by the select committee for documents, testimony or both related to their involvement with the Capitol riot.
Also subpoenaed by the panel, Trump’s then chief of staff Mark Meadows didn’t appear for his deposition scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m., risking the invocation of the contempt of Congress procedure by the select committee as it so warned Meadows on Thursday night.Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows was also subpoenaed.He didn’t show up for his Friday deposition at 10 a.m.The select committee threatened to invoke the contempt of Congress procedure as it warned Meadows Thursday night.
Contempt of Congress prosecutions by the Justice Department often have been both time consuming and notoriously difficult to succeed, oftentimes ending in acquittal or dismissal on appeal.The Justice Department’s prosecutions of contempt of Congress have often been time-consuming and notoriously difficult.Often, they end in dismissal or acquittal.
The last time the department prosecuted a contempt referral was in 1983, during the Superfund investigation in the Ronald Reagan administration.
The last time the department prosecuted an infraction referral was 1983 during the Superfund investigation under the Ronald Reagan administration.
Then Environmental Protection Agency official Rita Lavelle was charged with contempt but her case ended in acquittal.
Rita Lavelle, then an official at the Environmental Protection Agency was charged with contempt.However, her case was dismissed #Contempt #Congress #Trump #adviser
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