Trump adviser Bannon assails Biden over Capitol riot probe charges

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 (Reuters) – Long-time advisor to former President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, attempted Monday to portray charges as politically motivated for disregarding a Congressional investigation into the deadly January 6 riot at the Capitol Building he President Joe Biden and Others.

Bannon, who was charged on Friday by a federal grand jury on two counts of disregard for Congress, appeared on trial for the first time, with Judge Robin Meriweather dismissing him after a brief hearing on personal approval. Hours earlier, Bannon turned himself in at an FBI branch in Washington, flanked by bodyguards in black.

The terms Meriweather set for Bannon’s release did not include an instruction not to speak publicly about the case. Bannon appealed to a crowd of journalists in federal court shortly after the hearing.

“I’ll never give in. They took on the wrong one this time,” said Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist and one of more than 30 people close to the ex-Republican president called on to testify against the Democrats’ special committee House of Representatives is investigating the January 6 attack.

Bannon targeted Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“I’m telling you now, this is going to be the offense from Hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden,” said Bannon.

“We’re going on the offensive. We’re fed up with playing defense, ”said Bannon, who claimed, without showing any evidence, that Biden ordered Garland to bring the charges.

Bannon was charged on one count for refusing to appear before the committee and on a second count for refusing to produce documents. The House of Representatives voted October 21 to despise Bannon, leaving it to the Justice Department, headed by Garland, to decide whether to bring charges.

Before surrendering to the FBI, Bannon told reporters, “We are overthrowing the Biden regime,” although he did not specify exactly what he meant by “disparage”. A protester behind him held a sign that read “Coup Plotter”.

A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6 to prevent Congress from formally confirming its electoral defeat against Biden. The committee is reviewing Trump’s actions in relation to these events. Bannon is the first to face criminal charges based on the panel’s investigation.

Disregarding Congress is an offense that can be punished with up to a year in prison, along with a fine of up to $ 100,000, according to the Justice Department. The ministry said Friday that Bannon could face a fine of up to $ 1,000.

Steve Bannon, presenter of the talk show and former White House advisor to former President Donald Trump, arrives at the FBI branch in Washington to face federal authorities after he was indicted on a subpoena by Congress in the attack on the United States of the 6th Capitol in Washington, USA, November 15, 2021. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque

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Disregard of Congress is an offense that can be punished with up to one year in prison, along with a fine.

Meriweather imposed several conditions on Bannon, including the issue of his US passport. Bannon has not made a plea, and charges are scheduled for Thursday.

EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGES

Trump has tried to block the House of Representatives committee and instructed its staff not to cooperate. Bannon defied his subpoena, citing Trump’s insistence – already denied by a judge – that the former president had the right to keep the requested material confidential under a legal doctrine called executive privilege.

A prominent figure in right-wing media circles, Bannon was an architect of Trump’s 2016 presidential win and served as chief strategist of the White House US and abroad in 2017.

Bannon was separately charged last year for defrauding donors in a private fundraiser to reinforce Trump’s promise to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. Trump pardoned Bannon before the case could go to court.

The House Committee said Bannon had made public statements suggesting that he knew in advance of “extreme events” that would occur on January 6th. Bannon said on a January 5 podcast that “all hell will break loose tomorrow.”

Shortly before the uprising, Trump gave a speech to supporters near the White House reiterating his false claims that his election was stolen by widespread electoral fraud and asking them to go to the Capitol and “like hell.” to fight “to stop the theft”. “

House investigators hope the charges against Bannon will motivate other witnesses to testify, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who refused to appear on Friday.

Bannon’s attorney, David Schoen, stressed after the hearing on Monday that his client’s actions against his subpoena were guided by Trump’s appeal to executive privilege.

“You can’t put the ghost back in the bottle,” said Schoen. “Mr. Bannon did what his lawyers advised him to fail to show up and not hand over any documents to this case.”

Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Jan Wolfe; Additional coverage from Mark Hosenball and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Will Dunham and Scott Malone

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trump-adviser-bannon-face-criminal-charges-stonewalling-capitol-riot-probe-2021-11-15/