Former Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon was sentenced to four months imprisonment, after a judge ruled he was found in contempt of Congress related to the House select committee’s investigation of the January 6 Capitol riots.
“The sentence I am imposing reflects the fact that there can be more culpable ways to be in contempt of Congress than Mr. Bannon’s conduct,” the federal judge handing Bannon the sentencing said on Friday. “But I do believe Mr. Bannon does have some culpability here.” Bannon was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress back in July, when he refused to cooperate with the committee when it seeked information on the events leading up to the January 6 storming of Capitol hill. In particular, the panel was trying to determine what advice Bannon may have given to Trump in his attempt to overthrow the election results.
However, Bannon’s punishment likely won’t take effect immediately. The former strategist’s lawyers requested their client exhaust the appeal process before serving his sentece, suggesting it could be a long time before Bannon sees the walls of a prison due years of litigation and Supreme Court petition. Initially, prosecutors recommended Bannon serve a 6-month prison sentence as well as a $200,000 fine.
“He had no interest in compliance,” argued Assistant U.S. Attorney J.P. Cooney during the hearing. “He had an interest in making a public spectacle of the committee’s hearings…Throughout this case, the defendant has tried to make it about nothing other than politics and retribution. He has acted as if he is above the law. He is not.”
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