Ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon felt he was ‘above the law’, prosecutor says as contempt trial begins
- The ally of the former US president was charged after declining to provide testimony or documents to a panel investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol
- Bannon reversed course this month and said he wanted to testify before a public committee hearing, nearly 10 months after defying the subpoena
A federal prosecutor told jurors Tuesday at Steve Bannon’s criminal trial that the prominent former presidential adviser to Donald Trump decided he was “above the law” in defying a subpoena from the congressional committee investigating last year’s attack on the US Capitol.
Prosecution and defence lawyers delivered opening statements in the trial after the jury was selected in the case. The defence told jurors that Bannon did not ignore the subpoena and in fact engaged with the committee.
Bannon, 68, has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanour counts of contempt of Congress brought after he declined last year to provide testimony or documents to the Democratic-led House of Representatives select committee.
The subpoena, prosecutor Amanda Vaughn told jurors, “wasn’t optional. It wasn’t a request. And it wasn’t an invitation. It was mandatory.” “The defendant decided he was above the law,” Vaughn added. “That’s why we’re here today.”
Vaughn said the committee had reason to believe Bannon might have some information potentially about the events leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack. Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol and attacked police in a failed effort to block formal congressional certification of his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
Bannon “didn’t get stuck on a broken down Metro car”, Vaughn said of his refusal to comply with the subpoena, referring to the Washington area’s subway system. Instead, the case is about “the defendant thumbing his nose” at the normal process of government, Vaughn said.