US Capitol riot panel backs criminal contempt charges against Steve Bannon
- Steve Bannon has refused to testify or provide documents to the committee investigating the January 6 US Capitol riot
- Trump ally Bannon said ‘all hell is going to break loose tomorrow’ day before storming of Capitol
Lawmakers investigating the deadly January 6 assault on the US Capitol voted unanimously Tuesday to pursue criminal contempt charges for a key ally of former president Donald Trump for refusing to testify.
The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge by a 9-0 vote, calling it “shocking” that Bannon refused to comply with subpoenas seeking documents and testimony.
Approval of the report paved the way for the entire House to vote on whether to recommend contempt charges. That vote is set for Thursday, when the full, Democratic-controlled chamber is expected to approve the report. If that occurs, the Justice Department would then decide whether to pursue a criminal case.
“It’s a shame that Mr Bannon has put us in this position. But we won’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” congressman Bennie Thompson, the panel’s chairman, said in his opening remarks.
Bannon’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the committee vote.
Before leaving office in January, Trump pardoned Bannon of charges he had swindled the Republican president’s supporters. Trump has urged former aides subpoenaed by the panel to reject its requests, claiming the right to withhold information because of executive privilege, a legal principle that protects many White House communications.