Donald Trump’s shadow adviser Steve Bannon, a strong figure in the American supremacist and conspiratorial movements, appeared in a Washington court Monday afternoon, after being formally charged with contempt of Congress last Friday.
The 67-year-old himself surrendered to the FBI earlier today. He faces criminal charges for having defied, in mid-October, an order to appear before the bipartisan committee of the House of Representatives which is investigating the insurgency of the Capitol, which occurred on January 6.
That day, at the call of the ex-president and his entourage, hundreds of supporters of the populist stormed the headquarters of American democracy in order to prevent the certification of the vote that would confirm the victory. of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, based on baseless claims that the ballot was stolen by Democrats.
Steve Bannon is suspected of having taken part, from the entourage of the former president at the end of December and the day before the riot, on January 5, in the planning of this unprecedented coup d’état orchestrated by the former – American president.
He was released on a promise to come and check in once a week with the judicial authorities and after handing over his passport to court. He is due to appear again next Thursday to record his plea.
If found guilty, the conservative troublemaker faces a one-year prison sentence and a $ 100,000 fine.
This appearance sends a wake-up call to former members of Donald Trump’s close guard who, like Steve Bannon, refuse, on the advice of the former president, to collaborate in the work of the commission of inquiry. Last Friday, the populist’s ex-chief of staff, Mark Meadow, did not appear before the elected officials responsible for shedding light on the January 6 attack. The two co-chairs of the commission, Democrat Bennie Thompson and Republican Liz Cheney, have indicated that they will consider filing contempt charges against him.
Conversely, this confrontation with justice risks being exploited by Steve Bannon to pose as a martyr of the American conservative cause, estimates the political commentator of the daily The Independent Sean O’Grady. “Congress now seems determined to make [lui] a sort of conservative Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner assaulted for his beliefs, victimized for his defiance of an illegitimate regime, he wrote. Nothing suits Bannon more than being seen as the victim, even though he has inflicted his own pain on himself. But no doubt he will do well. “
Coming out of court on Monday, reported the New York TimesSteve Bannon called on his supporters, as well as those of the former president, to “stand by” and “focus” on the fight against “the illegitimate Biden regime,” he said. “We are going to go on the offensive. “
This is the second time in 15 months that the populist’s close advisor has faced justice. In August 2020, he was charged with conspiracy and wire fraud aimed at embezzling funds raised as part of a fundraising campaign to finance the construction of the wall that Donald Trump promised to erect on the southern border of the country. The former president, however, protected him from possible sanctions by offering him a pardon just before leaving the White House.
To date, more than 150 witnesses have been heard by the commission of inquiry on January 6, which last week summoned new relatives of the ex-president, including the former spokesperson at the House. -Blanche Kayleigh McEnany and former Trump speechwriter Stephen Miller. Steve Bannon and Mark Meadow refused to attend, citing the privilege of the executive branch of not answering questions from US MPs. However, in the last days of Donald Trump at the White House, Mr. Bannon, who hosts the podcast with conspiratorial accents War Room, did not hold any official function. He was summoned by the commission as a private citizen.
The appearance on Monday of the former Trump adviser comes as the former president himself obstructs the work of elected officials by legally opposing the release by the National Archives of several documents emanating from the House -White who are related to the day of the uprising. There are records of calls and visitors, drafts of speeches and memos of the attempted reversal of the vote. Last week, a Washington court cleared their disclosure to the commission, but the ex-president, who continues to glorify insurgents and claim to be the victim of election fraud – at odds with the facts – brought this case in appeal.