Federal Appeals Court Rejects Steve Bannon's Bid to Avoid Prison for Contempt Conviction

A federal appeals court panel has rejected Steve Bannon's request to remain free while he fights his conviction for defying a subpoena from the House select committee that investigated the U.S. Capitol attack. Bannon has been ordered to report to prison by July 1 to begin serving his four-month sentence for contempt of Congress.

Judge's Decision

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Donald Trump, granted prosecutors' request to send Bannon to prison. This decision came after another three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld Bannon's conviction last month.

Ruling Confirmation

In its ruling, the D.C. Circuit panel highlighted that Bannon deliberately refused to comply with the House select committee's subpoena. They stated, "his nonresponse, in other words, was no accident." The panel also dismissed Bannon's claims that the subpoena was invalid.

Bannon's lawyers had requested the appeals court to permit him to remain free while he continues to challenge the conviction, with the possibility of appealing all the way up to the Supreme Court.

Bannon's Conviction

Steve Bannon, a former White House chief strategist in the Trump administration, was convicted nearly two years ago of two counts of contempt of Congress. This includes his refusal to sit for a deposition with the Jan. 6 House Committee and his refusal to provide documents related to his involvement in efforts by Trump to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss to President Biden.