Donald Trump’s former White House adviser Steve Bannon has been sentenced to four months in prison.
He was found guilty of ignoring a subpoena to appear before a congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Bannon was also fined $6,500.
His sentence has been delayed pending an appeal – meaning he won’t be walking into jail right away.
The committee has Bannonbelieved he knew that Donald Trump intended to falsely declare victory on election night in 2020, and that he knew ahead of time the plans for the uprising.
In its final public hearing, the committee aired a video of Bannon on a live broadcast the day before Jan. 6, saying: “Tomorrow everything will explode.”
In another recording, he was heard telling colleagues from China three days before the 2020 election: “All Trump has to do is declare victory. Right? He will declare victory. But that doesn’t mean he’s a winner. …he’ll just say he’s a winner.”
On his way to court, the right-wing former Trump strategist was questioned by a waiting crowd chanting “fascist” and “traitor.”
“Remember this illegitimate regime. Their judgment day is November 8 (the US midterm elections) when the Biden administration ends,” Mr Bannon told waiting reporters.
Prosecutors had sought six months in prison and a fine of up to $200,000 (£178,000) for refusing to give testimony or documents to a parliamentary committee.
Bannon’s defense team has argued that he will receive probation, with any sentence suspended pending appeal.
They argued that their actions were illegal and politically motivated in seeking his cooperation.
On January 6, the committee also announced that it would be subpoenaing Donald Trump Own.
Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in January 2020.Image: Associated Press
It described the former president as the heart of the Capitol uprising and argued that evidence and documents from Trump himself would strengthen the link.
Trump did not say whether he would comply with the subpoena, but viewed the committee as “witch hunt at the highest level.”
It is questionable whether he will face the same fate as Bannon if he refuses the subpoena.
The Supreme Court has no precedent for giving Congress the power to compel a former president to provide evidence about his time in office.
There is also a question about timing. The US midterm elections will be held on November 8. If Republicans win control of the House of Representatives, they say they will end the House committee on Jan. 6.
In this case, the subpoena will be void.