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Steve Bannon in custody on contempt of Congress charges

November 15, 2021

Steve Bannon, the longtime Trump aide, has surrendered to the FBI and been remanded in custody. On Friday, he was charged with two counts of contempt of Congress.

https://p.dw.com/p/431jp
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon arrives at the FBI Washington Field Office to surrender to authorities Monday
Steve Bannon faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine for defying CongressImage: Jose Luis Magana/AP/picture alliance

Steve Bannon, the longtime aide of former US President Donald Trump, surrendered to the FBI and appeared in court after on Monday. It came after he was indicted by a grand jury on Friday on two counts of contempt of Congress.

He was charged for his refusal to appear and produce documents for the January 6 special select committee investigating the storming of the US Capitol that day.

On Friday, Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to appear before the January 6 select committee, and a second count for refusing to produce documents. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by the Justice Department with up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000 (€880).

US Capitol riot investigation

Bannon livestreams surrender

He livestreamed his surrender to authorities wearing three black shirts and a green coat, Bannon looked directly into the camera and urged supporters on. 

"We're taking down the Biden regime," he said.

Domino theory: will one jailing get others to talk?

Bannon is one of 30 individuals the January 6 House select committee has asked to testify about the events of that day when supporters of the former president stormed the Capitol in a doomed attempt to halt the certification of President Joe Biden's victory.

Bannon has refused to testify citing Trump's demands of executive privilege, though one judge has already dismissed this argument. 

Can the US find unity?

House investigators hope Bannon's arrest will chip away at the defiance of other witnesses, including former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and potentially compel them to testify. Meadows defied a subpoena from the committee on Friday, the same day Bannon was indicted.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the January 6 select committee said on NBC on Sunday that he hoped the charges Bannon now confronts "will have a very strong focusing effect on their decision-making."

This is a breaking news article and will be updated as more details become available.

ar/aw (AP, Reuters)