Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon on Friday filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to remain out of prison for his contempt of Congress conviction.
Bannon was ordered by Judge Carl Nichols to surrender to prison by July 1 to serve his four-month sentence.
“An even-handed approach thus strongly favors allowing Mr. Bannon to remain on release,” Bannon’s attorney argued in Friday’s filing.
Steve Bannon, former advisor to President Donald Trump, attends an event held by the national conservative political movement, ‘Turning Point,’ June 15, 2024, in Detroit.
Rebecca Cook/Reuters
“There is also no denying the fact that the government seeks to imprison Mr. Bannon for the four-month period immediately preceding the November presidential election,” Bannon’s attorney said. “There is no reason for that outcome in a case that presents substantial legal issues.”
Bannon was sentenced to four months for contempt of Congress in October 2022 after he was found guilty of defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, but Judge Nichols agreed to postpone the jail term while Bannon appealed the conviction.
After a federal appeals court upheld the criminal conviction in May, prosecutors requested Bannon begin serving his prison term.
“All of this is about one thing. Shutting down the MAGA movement. Shutting down grassroots conservatives, shutting down President Trump,” Bannon said to reporters in June.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has made a bold move in his legal battle by appealing to the Supreme Court in an attempt to avoid jail time. Bannon, who was indicted on charges of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot, is facing the possibility of up to a year in prison if convicted.
Bannon’s appeal to the highest court in the land comes after a federal judge rejected his request to dismiss the charges against him. In his appeal, Bannon argues that the subpoena was overly broad and that he has a constitutional right to refuse to comply with it. He also claims that the charges against him are politically motivated and part of a larger effort to silence conservative voices.
The Supreme Court will now have to decide whether to hear Bannon’s appeal and potentially set a precedent for future cases involving congressional subpoenas. If the court decides not to hear the case, Bannon will have to stand trial and face the possibility of being found guilty and sentenced to jail time.
The outcome of Bannon’s appeal could have far-reaching implications for the balance of power between Congress and the executive branch. If the Supreme Court rules in Bannon’s favor, it could embolden others to defy congressional subpoenas and undermine the ability of Congress to conduct oversight of the executive branch. On the other hand, if Bannon is convicted and sentenced to jail time, it could send a strong message that no one is above the law, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations.
As the legal battle continues to unfold, all eyes will be on the Supreme Court to see how they ultimately decide on Bannon’s appeal. In the meantime, Bannon remains defiant and continues to maintain his innocence, vowing to fight the charges against him until the very end.
