The ex-close adviser to Donald Trump had refused to testify and produce documents to the commission on the assault on the Capitol in January 2021.
Steve Bannon, a former close adviser to Donald Trump, was convicted on Friday of obstructing the investigative powers of Congress by a jury in federal court, after refusing to cooperate with the commission on the assault on the Capitol.
A discreet but very influential adviser to the former Republican president, he had continued to exchange with him until the days preceding the assault of January 6, 2021. The parliamentary commission of inquiry had asked him to testify and produce documents, which he had refused.
The jury in a federal court in Washington deliberated for less than three hours on Friday to find the 68-year-old man guilty on the two counts against him.
His sentence will be determined later. He faces between a month and a year in prison for each count.
Charged with “obstructing the investigative powers of Congress”
The parliamentary commission of inquiry into the assault on the Capitol wanted to know the nature of the exchanges between Steve Bannon and Donald Trump in the days preceding January 6.
The parliamentarians had subpoenaed Steve Bannon to testify and produce documents. He refused, citing the right of presidents to keep certain conversations secret, which led to him being charged with “obstructing the investigative powers of Congress”.
At the opening of the proceedings on Tuesday, prosecutor Amanda Vaughn accused Steve Bannon of believing himself “above the law”. Steve Bannon’s lawyer had denounced political prosecution.
