Steve Bannon who is a longtime ally of Donald Trump is set to face criminal prosecution for refusing to cooperate with a probe into the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the prospect for prosecution and possible jail is coming after the House of Representatives on Thursday voted to hold him in contempt of Congress.
The Democratic-led chamber voted 229 to 202 with nine Republicans joining Democrats to recommend the charges against Bannon, who served as an aide to the former Republican president.
The nine Republicans who broke rank were Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, a members of the January 6 select committee, Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, also a member of the committee, Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer and Ohio Rep. Anthony Gonzalez.
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Others were Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, New York Rep. John Katko, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Washington Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler
The matter will now be referred to the U.S. Justice Department, where Attorney General Merrick Garland will make the final decision on whether to prosecute.
Bannon has refused to comply with subpoenas from the Jan. 6 Select Committee seeking documents and his testimony, citing Trump’s insistence – disputed by some legal scholars – that his communications are protected by the legal doctrine of executive privilege.
‘What sort of precedent would it set for the House of Representatives if we allow a witness to ignore us?’ Democrat Bennie Thompson, chairman of the Select Committee, submitted in debate before the vote.
The select committee voted unanimously on Tuesday in favour of the charges.
The Democratic-led panel hopes the threat of jail time – contempt of Congress carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine – encourages cooperation from the 18 other Trump aides and rally organizers who also have been subpoenaed.
Garland has yet to indicate how the department will respond. He told a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday the department would “apply the facts” and make decisions ‘consistent with the principles of prosecution.’
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK