Steve Bannon was taken into federal custody this morning.
An onlooker held a sign reading “Coup Plotter” as the 67-year-old exited a black SUV.
“I don’t want anyone to take their eye off the ball of what we do every day,” Bannon told his followers via livestream outside the FBI Field Office in D.C. I want you guys to stay focused, stay on message. Remember — signal, not noise.”
“Thanks, guys — appreciate it,” he said with a wave before going inside.
The former senior advisor to President Donald Trump was indicted Friday on two counts of criminal contempt after he did not comply with a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6. One charge relates to his failure to appear before the committee and another pertains to Bannon not supplying documents requested by the committee.
“The indictment came as a second expected witness, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, defied his own subpoena from the committee on Friday and as Trump has escalated his legal battles to withhold documents and testimony about the insurrection,” per KHOU.
Robert Costello, a lawyer for Bannon, told the committee in an Oct. 13 letter that he would not comply with the subpoena. He wrote that Trump “is exercising his executive privilege” and that the former chairman of Breitbart News was told “not to produce documents or testify until the issue of executive privilege is resolved.”
Bannon could face a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, in addition to a fine of $100 to $1,000, according to a news release from the Justice Department following his indictment.
“The DOJ clarified that the case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and will be prosecuted by the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia,” reports The Western Journal.
The House’s Jan 6. Committee is also recommending Meadows be charged with contempt.
