Status: 11/15/2021 5:59 p.m.
Ex-Trump adviser Bannon had so far steadfastly refused to testify in front of the US Congress about the storming of the Capitol. That earned him an indictment. Now the FBI has taken the chief strategist into custody.
The former chief strategist of ex-US President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, has surrendered to the authorities after being charged with disregard for Congress. The FBI said that Bannon had appeared in the Washington office of the agency and was arrested. He was expected to appear in federal court later that day.
He was charged last Friday on two counts: Bannon is charged with defying the House of Representatives summons to forcibly storm the Capitol, the US Department of Justice said. In addition, he did not provide the body with the required documents.
Up to one year imprisonment
Bannon had in no way communicated with the panel, it said in the complaint. Accordingly, he was silent from the moment he received the summons on September 24th. Instead, he relied on the president’s prerogative to withhold certain information from Congress or the courts – the so-called executive privilege.
The committee of inquiry found, however, that even if Trump could seek this privilege, it would not relieve Bannon of his duty to testify before the committee. Bannon’s refusal has no legal basis and violates legal provisions.
The House of Representatives cleared the way for criminal action against him with a majority of Democrats in late October. The decision on a possible charge was then the responsibility of the Justice Department. If convicted, Bannon could face a prison sentence of at least 30 days to a year per charge.
Did Bannon know beforehand?
Supporters of Republican Trump stormed the seat of the US Congress on January 6th. Five people were killed, including a police officer. Trump had to face impeachment proceedings because of the attack because he had previously incited his supporters in a speech. In the end, however, he was acquitted.
Bannon, in turn, is suspected of having had prior knowledge of plans for violent protests. The day before he had said in his podcast, among other things: “Tomorrow all hell breaks loose.”