Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to testify in the Capitol robbery investigation

By Pete Williams -

Steve Bannon, Trump's former adviser and former chief White House strategist, was indicted Friday by a federal grand jury for contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions from the House committee investigating the assault on the capitol on January 6.

It is the first time someone has been charged with contempt of Congress in a case in which executive privilege was invoked.

Previous cases involved accused persons when their testimony was required in connection with their work in the Government.

Instead, Bannon left his job at the White House in 2017, long before the interest period the Congressional committee is investigating.

[House of Representative files criminal case against former Trump adviser who refuses to assist in investigation]

Steve Bannon, former adviser to Donald Trump, on August 19, 2018.

Scott Applewhite / AP

If convicted, Bannon could face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $ 100,000.

The fact that the Justice Department was willing to charge him with criminal contempt, despite an assertion of executive privilege, could help persuade other witnesses who are reluctant to cooperate with the committee's investigation.

The committee has subpoenaed 16 former White House officials when Trump was president to testify or produce documents.

Tomorrow all hell is going to break loose "

Steve Bannon on his radio show

The House of Representatives voted on October 27 in favor of holding Bannon in contempt, after he refused to provide documents and testimony to the committee investigating the events of January 6.

The committee members cited statements Bannon made on air on his radio show the day before the riot.

"All hell is going to break loose tomorrow," he said on the show.

The House panel suggested that Bannon "had some knowledge of the extreme events that were to occur the next day.

[A court temporarily blocks the committee investigating the assault on the Capitol from receiving Trump's records]

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