Steve Bannon Indicted for Contempt of Congress

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon lashed out on Friday at the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, hours after a jury found him guilty of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with the committee's investigation.

Driving the news: “I support Trump and the Constitution and if they want to put me in jail for that, so be it,” Bannon told Fox News host Tucker Carlson during Friday's episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight.



What he’s saying: In his remarks, Bannon implied there would be retribution for those involved with the bipartisan commission.

“I will tell the Jan. 6 staff right now, preserve your documents, because there’s going to be a real committee and this has to be backed by Republican grass-roots voters,” Bannon said.

Catch up fast: Bannon was found guilty Friday of two counts of contempt of Congress after he failed to comply with a subpoena from the Congressional select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Bannon was not working for the administration on the day of the riot, but the committee wanted his testimony because he was in communication with other key officials in the lead up to Jan. 6, and it believed his podcasts contributed to what occurred that day, the Washington Post reports.

Bannon's lawyers argued the Department of Justice’s case against him was politically motivated.
What's next: Bannon’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 21.

Each misdemeanor count could result in a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as fines up to $100,000 per count. Bannon's attorneys said they would appeal the decision, the Post reports.

Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon will be charged in New York state and intends to surrender on Thursday over his role in the right-wing We Build the Wall organization that allegedly defrauded donors, which has long caught the eye of investigators. Back in 2020, Bannon was pardoned on federal charges by then-President Donald Trump over his role in the alleged scam. The Washington Post first broke the news, which was later confirmed by The Daily Beast. The news follows The Daily Beast reporting late Tuesday that the IRS stripped the Bannon-operated group Citizens of the American Republic’s tax-exempt status, which the feds alleged was used to funnel money from the We Build the Wall operation into Bannon and partner Brian Kolfage’s pockets. The tough-talking Bannon said in a statement to The Daily Beast through a spokesperson that he has “not yet begun to fight,” while alleging the state charges are politically motivated. “The Soros-backed DA has now decided to pursue phony charges against me 60 days before the midterm election because WarRoom [Bannon’s daily podcast] is the major source of the MAGA grassroots movement,” he said. “I am never going to stop fighting. In fact, I have not yet begun to fight. They will have to kill me first.”