Steve Bannon, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, has appealed to the Supreme Court to delay his impending prison sentence as he continues to fight his convictions for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bannon is facing a four-month prison sentence set to begin on July 1 for his refusal to cooperate with the committee’s investigation into the events of January 6. His emergency application to Chief Justice John Roberts seeks a delay in his sentencing until the court has the opportunity to review the constitutional issues raised by the case.
Bannon has consistently portrayed his case as politically motivated and his attorney, David Schoen, believes that there are significant constitutional issues at stake that warrant Supreme Court review. The former Trump aide has been convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress related to his refusal to comply with the committee’s demands for testimony and documents regarding his involvement in Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. Bannon’s lawyer argues that he was still negotiating with the committee when he was charged and believed the subpoena to be invalid due to Trump’s previous assertion of executive privilege.
With the Supreme Court set to begin its summer recess at the end of June, Bannon’s attorney fears that his client will have to serve his full sentence before the court has a chance to address the constitutional questions raised by the case. Bannon, who is a top adviser to Trump’s 2024 election campaign, has been allowed to delay his prison term while he appeals his convictions. A similar request from another Trump aide, Peter Navarro, was denied by the court, and Navarro began serving his four-month sentence for contempt of Congress in March.
Bannon is also facing criminal charges in New York state court related to allegations that he misled donors who contributed funds for a border wall project. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud, and the trial for these charges has been postponed until at least the end of September. Despite his legal challenges, Bannon remains a prominent figure in conservative political circles, and his ties to Trump continue to influence his legal battles. The outcome of his appeal for a delay in his prison sentence could have significant implications for ongoing investigations into the events of January 6 and the actions of those involved.
