By
Dareh Gregorian
and Dartunorro Clark -
NBC News
The Select Committee of the House of Representatives investigating the assault on the Capitol on January 6 voted in favor on Tuesday of presenting a motion to ask the Department of Justice that the former top adviser to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, be charged with criminal contempt. to Congress after he refused to cooperate with the investigation.
The committee, made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, approved the measure with nine votes in favor and none against, so it will be sent to the plenary session of the Lower House for a final vote.
If approved by the House of Representatives, lawmakers will report to the federal attorney for the District of Columbia, who will decide whether or not to press charges against Bannon.
If charged and convicted,
Trump's former adviser would face up to a year in jail and could be fined $ 100,000
.
Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, in an Aug. 19, 2018 file photo.
Scott Applewhite / AP
The committee chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Missouri, called Bannon's refusal to cooperate "impressive."
"So it's a shame that Bannon has put us in this situation. But we are not going to take 'no' for an answer. We believe that Mr. Bannon has information relevant to our investigation and we will use the tools at our disposal to obtain that information. I hope the House of Representatives will expeditiously approve his referral to the Justice Department and that the US Attorney for the District of Columbia will do his job and prosecute Bannon for criminal contempt of Congress, "Thompson said.
He added: "Our goal is simple: we want Mr. Bannon to answer our questions. We want him to turn over all the recordings in his possession that are relevant to the Select Committee's investigation. The question before us today is the ability to do our work".
Soon more information ...