Steve Bannon, a former close adviser to Donald Trump, was convicted Friday of obstructing congressional investigative powers by a jury in federal court after refusing to cooperate with the commission in the assault on Capitol Hill.
A discreet but very influential advisor to the former Republican president, he had continued to exchange with him until the days before the attack on January 6, 2021. The parliamentary investigation commission had asked him to testify and present documents, which he had refused.
A jury in federal court in Washington deliberated for less than three hours Friday to find the 68-year-old guilty on the two counts against him.
His sentence will be determined later. He faces between a month and a year in prison on each count.
Accused of “obstructing the investigative powers of Congress”
The parliamentary commission of investigation of the assault on the Capitol wanted to know the nature of the exchanges between Steve Bannon and Donald Trump in the days prior to January 6.
MPs had summoned Steve Bannon to testify and produce documents. He refused, citing the right of presidents to keep certain conversations secret, leading him to be charged with “obstructing the investigative powers of Congress.”
At the opening of the trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Amanda Vaughn accused Steve Bannon of believing himself “above the law.” Steve Bannon’s lawyer had denounced political persecution.
Source: BFM TV
