A parliamentary commission of inquiry on Thursday initiated proceedings for
"obstructing the work of Congress"
against Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump who refuses to participate in his investigations into the assault on the Capitol.
Steve Bannon was summoned Thursday before this special committee of the House of Representatives which is investigating the role of the former Republican president in the attack by his supporters against the seat of Congress on January 6, when elected officials certified the victory of Joe Biden for the presidential election.
Read alsoSteve Bannon, former Trump strategist, accused of fraud
"Steve Bannon refused to cooperate,"
noted Democrat Bennie Thompson, who heads this commission criticized by Donald Trump and his allies.
"The Special Commission will not tolerate this contempt for his assignments and we will take steps to ensure that Steve Bannon is the subject of criminal proceedings for obstructing the work of Congress,"
added the elected in a statement.
The members of the commission will meet on Tuesday evening to formally adopt the details of their complaint.
This will then have to be voted on in plenary session in the House, where the Democrats are in the majority, with a view to its transmission to the Minister of Justice.
Merrick Garland will decide whether to indict Steve Bannon, who in theory faces up to a year in prison.
Steve Bannon, 66, was one of the architects of Donald Trump's successful presidential campaign in 2016 before being pushed out by the Republican billionaire.
In the last days of his term, the president granted him leniency, ending the embezzlement prosecution.
Read also: Investigation into the assault on the Capitol: Trump tries to prevent former advisers from testifying
In addition to this adviser, four other relatives of Donald Trump have received summons from the special commission, demanding documents or their testimony.
The former president asked them not to comply, invoking the right of the executive to keep certain information secret.
But for Democrats, this prerogative only applies to the incumbent president.
The legal debate should take place in the courts and could slow down the work of the commission.
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