Steve Bannon, the former adviser to President Donald Trump, was indicted on Friday on charges of contempt of Congress, after he failed to comply with a subpoena issued by a committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.
Bannon, a former film producer and current podcast host, has claimed through his attorney that he has executive privilege even though he left the White House in August, 2017, well before the attack on the Capitol this year.
The Grand Jury indictment cites Bannon’s failure to appear and produce documents to the committee on Oct. 7 and to appear for a deposition on Oct. 14. Bannon accepted service of the subpoena through his attorney on Sept. 24.
According to the indictment, Bannon’s attorneys responded by writing to the committee that he “would not comply with the subpoena because former President Donald J. Trump had claimed that the subpoena sought records and testimony potentially protected by executive and other privileges and had instructed Bannon, ‘to the fullest extent permitted by law,’ to ‘(a) where appropriate, invoke any immunities and privileges he may have from compelled testimony in response to the Subpoena; (b) not produce any documents concerning privileged material in response to the Subpoena; and (c) not provide any testimony conceming privileged material in response to the Subpoena.'”
The House voted on Oct. 21 to hold Bannon in contempt, referring the matter to the Justice Department. On his podcast on January 5, Bannon predicted that the next day would be “game day. So strap in. Let’s get ready.”
“All hell is going to break loose tomorrow,” he said.
Mark Meadows, who was Trump’s chief of staff on January 6, failed to appear for a deposition before the committee on Friday.
“Mr. Meadows remains under the instructions of former President Trump to respect longstanding principles of executive privilege.” Meadows’ attorney said, per NBC News. “It now appears the courts will have to resolve this conflict.”
On Thursday, an appellate panel granted Trump’s request to put on a pause on the release of records that the committee has subpoenaed, as the former president claims that he is covered by executive privilege.
