Appeals Court Rules On Steve Bannon’s Request To Delay Prison Sentence

A federal appeals court panel rejected Steve Bannon’s bid to delay the July 1st start to his prison sentence as he fights his contempt of Congress conviction.

The former Trump adviser and War Room host was sentenced to four months in prison for defying subpoenas from the J6 Committee.

Bannon filed an emergency motion, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to overrule a lower court’s order that he report to prison by July 1st.

The panel denied his request in a 2-1 vote.

After the ruling, Bannon will likely seek intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court.

An appeals court has denied former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s request to remain out of prison while appealing his conviction on contempt of Congress charges. https://t.co/uK5pvxiQm3

— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 21, 2024

Per CBS News:

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, earlier this month granted prosecutors’ request to send Bannon to prison after a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld his conviction last month.

Bannon’s lawyers asked the appeals court to allow him to remain free while he continues to fight the conviction all the way up to the Supreme Court, if necessary. But in a 2-1 vote Thursday, the D.C. Circuit panel said Bannon’s case “does not warrant a departure from the general rule” that defendants begin serving their sentence after conviction.

Judges Cornelia Pillard, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, and Bradley Garcia, a nominee of President Biden, voted to send Bannon to prison. Judge Justin Walker, who was nominated by Trump, dissented, writing that he should not have to serve time before the Supreme Court decides whether to take up his case.

Bannon is expected to ask the Supreme Court to stave off his prison sentence. His attorneys didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Thursday.

BREAKING: Appeals court panel refuses to delay Trump ally Steve Bannon’s 4-month contempt prison sentence https://t.co/l8mDC1vMaF

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 21, 2024

From The Hill:

In its ruling Thursday, the panel said Bannon “knew what the subpoena required yet intentionally refused to appear or to produce any of the requested documents.”

The panel also pushed back on Bannon’s argument about him “willfully” refusing to do what was asked by the House committee. The judges cited the Supreme Court, which has “consistently recognized” that willful is a “word of many meanings.”

“He provides no basis to conclude that a higher court is likely to upend the established understanding of ‘willfully’ in the context of contempt of a clear duty to respond to congressional subpoenas,” the judges wrote.

Bannon was found guilty in 2022 of failing to appear for a deposition before the Jan. 6 House committee and refusing to produce documents.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

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