Steve Bannon Faces Criminal Contempt Of Congress Referral After Ignoring Jan. 6 Committee Subpoena

On Friday, the January 6 select committee investigating the Capitol riot announced it is considering “advancing a criminal contempt of Congress referral” for Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon, who refused to comply with its subpoena. 

“Though the Select Committee welcomes good-faith engagement with witnesses seeking to cooperate with our investigation, we will not allow any witness to defy a lawful subpoena or attempt to run out the clock, and we will swiftly consider advancing a criminal contempt of Congress referral,” the statement reads.

In response to the committee’s warning, Bannon’s attorney argued that he is merely following the instruction of former President Donald Trump‘s attorneys.

Trump recently asserted executive privilege to block the January 6 select committee from having access to Trump’s White House documents. The Biden administration, however, refused Trump’s request.

“President Biden has determined than an assertion of executive privilege is not in the best interests of the United States, and therefore is not justified as to any of the Documents,” White House counsel Dana Remus wrote in a letter to Archivist of the United States David Ferriero.

The select committee has so far issued 17 subpoenas, mostly to the Trump aides and those involved in the Capitol riot.