Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon surrendered on Monday to law enforcement to begin his four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress.
He entered the Federal Correctional Institute Danbury, in Danbury, Connecticut, shortly before noon to begin serving his sentence.
The Supreme Court had on Friday denied Bannon’s request to remain out of prison during the appeals process after he filed an emergency appeal on Friday with the high court.
Bannon was sentenced to four months 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.
Speaking to supporters before he entered the Danbury facility, Bannon said he was proud to begin his sentence.
“I am proud to go to prison,” Bannon said. “If this is what it takes the stand up to tyranny, if this way it takes the stand up to the Garland corrupt criminal DOJ, if this is what it takes to stand up to Nancy Pelosi, if this is what it takes to stand up to Joe Biden, I’m proud to do it. “
Bannon, who was joined by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican Senate candidate Royce White, former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince, and a priest, spoke as supporters and counter protesters shouted over each other.
Steve Bannon speaks outside Danbury Federal Correctional Institution with Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Green, July 1, 2024, in Danbury, Conn.
Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images
Asked by ABC News if he has any regrets about his conduct, Bannon stood by his actions.
“I have not only no regrets,” Bannon said, “I’m actually proud of what I did, I’d feel terrible if I didn’t do it. I don’t mind going to prison today.”
Bannon told supporters that he will continue to support former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign from prison, adding that his War Room podcast will be “bigger and better than ever.”
“You don’t need my voice. We’re a populist movement,” Bannon said.
“Victory or death,” Bannon concluded. “It’s time for me to surrender up at Danbury.”
A U.S. district judge had ordered Bannon, 70, to report to prison by July 1 to begin serving his sentence.
Bannon is the second Trump adviser to be convicted and sent to prison for refusing to cooperate with the Jan. 6 panel, after former Trump adviser Peter Navarro reported to prison in March.
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Laura Romero and Devin Dwyer contributed to this report.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has begun serving his prison sentence for contempt of Congress, after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot.
Bannon was found in contempt of Congress for his refusal to testify before the committee and provide documents related to his involvement in the events leading up to the attack on the Capitol. He was indicted by a federal grand jury and faced up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Bannon’s defiance of the subpoena was seen as a brazen act of defiance against the rule of law and the authority of Congress. His refusal to cooperate with the investigation into the Capitol riot was seen as a direct challenge to the oversight powers of Congress and a threat to the integrity of the democratic process.
Bannon’s imprisonment sends a clear message that no one is above the law, and that those who obstruct justice and defy congressional subpoenas will be held accountable for their actions. It also serves as a warning to others who may be tempted to follow in Bannon’s footsteps and refuse to cooperate with legitimate investigations.
The House select committee has been tasked with uncovering the truth behind the events of January 6th and holding those responsible for the attack on the Capitol accountable. Bannon’s refusal to testify and provide documents hindered the committee’s ability to fulfill its mandate, and his imprisonment is a step towards ensuring that justice is served and the truth is revealed.
As Bannon begins serving his prison sentence, it is a reminder that the rule of law must be upheld, and that those who seek to undermine the democratic process will face consequences for their actions. The investigation into the Capitol riot continues, and Bannon’s imprisonment is a significant development in the pursuit of justice for those who were affected by the events of January 6th.
