Steve Bannon, the former chief executive of the Trump 2016 campaign, has been found guilty of contempt after ignoring a subpoena issued to him by the House Select Committee. The committee is investigating the attempted insurrection and attack on the US capitol on January 6, 2021.
A jury took just under three hours (including lunch) to find Stephen K. Bannon, 68, guilty of two counts of contempt of congress (a misdemeanour under United States Federal law) for failing to appear for a deposition and refusing to provide materials in October 2021.
Bannon initially claimed his conversations with former President Donald J. Trump fell under "executive privilege", which prevents communications between presidents and their advisers from being disclosed to facilitate candid advice. However, the House panel and the Justice Department contend such a claim is dubious as Bannon was not in the Whitehouse in the run-up to the riots and, as such, was a private citizen.
