Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
DONALD’S TRUMP FORMER aide Steve Bannon faces possible prison time tomorrow, when a judge will set his sentence for refusing to testify in Congress’ probe of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
Bannon, a longtime political strategist and vocal advocate for the Republican former president, was found guilty in July on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to testify.
The Justice Department urged the court Monday to sentence the 68-year-old to six months in prison – the high end of sentencing guidelines but less than the maximum possible 12 months – and fine him $200,000, pointing out that Bannon had repeatedly sought to delay the proceedings by hinting he might cooperate.
Bannon “has pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt,” the department said.
Bannon, who currently runs a streaming political commentary website, asked the court to sentence him to probation, saying he had rejected the congressional subpoena on the advice of his lawyers.
He also asked that the court place a stay on implementation of any sentence while his appeal of the original verdict goes ahead.
“Mr. Bannon respectfully asserts that a sentence of incarceration would violate his constitutional rights,” his submission said.
The investigation by a special House committee has depicted Bannon as knowing in advance of the plan by hardline Trump supporters to attack the Capitol on 6 January to prevent Democrat Joe Biden from being confirmed as the next president.
It also showed him advocating for Congress to block Biden – who defeated Trump in the November 2020 election – from becoming president.
“The rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building – they assaulted the rule of law upon which this country was built and through which it endures,” the Justice Department told the court in its sentencing memo.
“By flouting the Select Committee’s subpoena and its authority, the defendant exacerbated that assault.”
Bannon was one of the masterminds behind Trump’s original presidential campaign and victory in 2016.
He served in the White House for the first seven months of Trump’s term as chief strategist, leaving reportedly due to conflicts with other top staffers.
In 2020, Bannon was charged together with others with wire fraud and money laundering for taking millions of dollars for personal use that donors contributed to their scheme to build a wall on the border with Mexico.
While others were found guilty in the scheme, before leaving office in January 2021, Trump issued of blanket pardon for Bannon, leading to the dismissal of the charges against him.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
This is a terrible tragedy. Many families torn to pieces, RIP to the deceased.
Just beyond words sad, especially with so many fighting so hard to save lives currently
Rip
Unusual that he was identified so quickly these days
@Maurice Dodd: was a local in a very small rural community where everyone knows everyone locals out driving seen things unfold on the roads. The cops had an elert out to people with his name and not to approach he was dressed like a cop and had a car similar to a cop car so his name was out there while it was happening. Scary stuff
Very sad, RIP.
Thoughts and prayers.
Shocking Sad rip to the victims
If only they had more guns! They could have protected themselves.
@Al Fresco: thats america num pthy
@James Rowan: Canadians own more guns than Americans per captia butt head
@Karllye kripton: fake news from you again..tsk tsk..
@Karllye kripton: thats canada worst mass shooting,they may have more guns than america but when was the last mass shooting in canada,you num pthy
@Karllye kripton: Rubbish.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_number_of_civilian_guns_per_capita_by_country
Think it’s updated to 17 dead now. Very very sad. Shooter owned a local business & properties .
They must need some gun control
@Sean M: I hope that’s sarcasm. It’s rare and tho it’s now 16 dead I believe it’s the worst shooting they’ve had.
@Sean M: considering far less people will die from guns in countries that have gun proper control than in America maybe they should consider it.
@johnny onion eye: officially the worst here in history. You can get guns for hunting here takes a while strict laws and licencing. Rare but it tends to happen in rural areas. He was a denturist well known and respected man. Was very ore meditated who knows if he had a psychotic break of some sort
@Sean M: I think Canadian people take a different attitude to gun legislation compared with their Big Neighbours.
Awful news RIP for all the people who were killed and I hope the injured people will get better . .
Very sad R.I.P. How many of our front line hero’s have been lost or will loose due to the usual stall wort classist decisions being made, no preparation for PPE.. Then bought 1/4 billion worth of feathered turkey from China and 1 in 10 seemingly with covid overall are health care front line people.
@Agenda21: What are you ranting about? That made little to no sense
@ihcalaM: Think he needs to go back to sleep.
@ihcalaM: I know ihcalaW what more can I say?
@Richard: what about yourself, richy need sleep also like amazballs and all that nonchalant nonsense?
@Agenda21: Na I’ve had my four hours I’m good. Is it too early or too late for a beer?
@Richard: ask an alcoholic non passive for that and you know its true
@ihcalaM: who’s social media identity have you hijacked ihcalaW 2 feed neo-liberal capitalists while filling people that don’t agree with you insulted, in the ffg handbooks of ar5e holes seeming
@Agenda21: Dude?
@Agenda21: stoll wort. Jesus.
@Agenda21: absolute clipe
@Richard: never to late or to early to start
@Dan Moran: I agree
He killed a cop, was taken into custody and then later died. Hmmm.
@Sean Fahey: He was shot prior? Not all gunshot wounds kill immediately.
@Sean Fahey: Pretty sure he wasn’t taken into custody, sounds like it all ended near a gas station
@Sean Fahey: Are you trying to divert attention from these horrendous murders of 19 people to the action of the police officers called upon to deal with this nightmare? You seem to have lost all sense of morality. You probably don’t even know how sick this is?
have your say