In a recent development, federal prosecutors have urged Judge Carl Nichols to order Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, to begin serving his four-month prison sentence for criminal contempt of Congress.
This move comes after an appeals court upheld Bannon’s conviction last week, rejecting his appeal on all grounds. Prosecutors argue that there is no legal basis for further delaying Bannon’s sentence, as the appeals court’s ruling has conclusively settled the matter.
Bannon was sentenced in October 2022, but Judge Nichols had agreed to postpone his jail term while he appealed the decision. However, with the appeals court’s ruling, prosecutors believe there is no justification for further delay.
Justice Department Pushes for Steve Bannon’s Imprisonment Following Appeals Court Ruling
In their filing, they stated that “there is no longer a ‘substantial question of law that is likely to result in a reversal or an order for a new trial.'” Bannon, meanwhile, has responded to the news by claiming that he is being silenced, telling ABC News, “I’m shocked they want to silence the voice of MAGA.”
The appeals court’s decision was unequivocal, with a three-judge panel concluding that none of the information sought in the trial subpoenas was relevant to Bannon’s defense or the elements of the contempt offense.
The judges affirmed the judgment of conviction and sentence, paving the way for Bannon to begin serving his prison term. It is now up to Judge Nichols to rule on the prosecutor’s request, which could happen at any time.
