The US Department of Justice reported on Friday that former White House aide Steve Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress for failing to appear to testify or deliver documents to a House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6 invasion of Capitol Hill.
In October, the House floor had recommended that the former White House aide in Donald Trump’s administration be criminally charged with contempt for refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
A date for the indictment has not yet been set in the District Court for the District of Columbia. Each count of contempt of Congress carries a penalty of 30 days to a year in prison, plus a fine of $100 to $1,000.
“From my first day in office, I promised Justice Department officials that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the Department upholds the rule of law, follows facts and law, and seeks equal justice before the law.” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement released by the department. “Today’s accusations reflect the department’s unwavering commitment to these principles.”
On the day Bannon was supposed to testify, his lawyers claimed he has not cooperated with the investigation because he follows Trump’s advice.
On Thursday (11), a federal appeals court in the United States granted a request by Trump and suspended until the merits trial the release of records of the Republican administration related to the invasion of the Capitol.
The Capitol was invaded on Jan. 6 by Trump supporters, alleging fraud in Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. At the time of the invasion, the US Congress was in session to ratify the Democrat’s victory.
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