Federal Court Deals Another Asinine Blow To Steve Bannon

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon has been sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress. A federal appeals court panel has rejected his request to delay the sentence, requiring him to start serving it on July 1.

This decision comes as Bannon continues to contest his conviction for allegedly defying a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol incident.

The D.C. Circuit Court panel denied Bannon's request to remain free while he appeals to the Supreme Court by a 2-1 vote. Judge Justin Walker, appointed by President Trump, dissented, arguing that Bannon should not serve his sentence until the Supreme Court has ruled. Judges Cornelia Pillard and Bradley Garcia, appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden respectively, supported the ruling.

Bannon's legal team argued that his imprisonment would hinder his ability to serve as a key advisor to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. However, the prosecution dismissed this argument, asserting that Bannon’s “role in political discourse” is irrelevant to the case and emphasizing the principle of “equal justice under the law.”

Bannon was convicted nearly two years ago for failing to comply with a House committee's request for documents related to efforts to overturn Trump’s 2020 election defeat. His defense claimed he was acting on his attorney's advice and negotiating in good faith.

Bannon might serve his entire prison term before the case is reviewed, but he is expected to seek the Supreme Court's intervention.