Steve Bannon, former adviser to Donald Trump, has been sentenced to prison

Steve Bannon, exasessor de Donald Trumpwas sentenced to four months in prison for refusing to testify in the investigation of the Congress about the January 6, 2021 attack on Capitol Hill by supporters of the former Republican president.

Bannon, one of the architects of Trump’s campaign and presidential victory in 2016, was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to testify about the riots.

The judge allowed Bannon, who was also fined $6,500, to remain free pending what his attorney says will be a “bulletproof” appeal.

Bannon, a longtime Trump strategist, struck a defiant tone as he left federal court in Washington, lashing out at President Joe Biden and House Democratic leaders.

“Today was the day of my trial by the judge,” Bannon told reporters.

“On November 8, the illegitimate Biden regime will be judged,” he promised, alluding to the upcoming mid-term elections.

“And we know which way that is going. The Biden administration ends on the night of November 8,” he said.

Bannon had been greeted upon arrival at the courthouse by protesters chanting “Traitor! Fascist!”

Asked by White House reporters about Bannon’s sentence, Biden dismissively responded: “I never have a reaction with Steve Bannon.”

“no testimonial”

Last July, Bannon had been found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to attend a subpoena to testify.

The prison sentence was less than the six months that the Prosecutor’s Office had requested, but greater than the probation that the defense had requested.

Bannon said he refused to testify before Congress on the advice of his attorney, who told him that doing so would violate Trump’s presidential privileges. But he also claimed that he felt the parliamentary committee’s investigation into the events of January 6 was politically motivated.

However, federal judge Carl Nichols rejected the arguments, holding that Trump had never asserted executive privilege in Bannon’s case and that it needed to be investigated.

“The events of January 6 were undeniably serious,” Nichols said before sentencing.

In addition, he indicated that Bannon did not even cooperate with the committee on issues that were not related to possible executive privilege.

Bannon “has not provided a single document … and has not provided any testimony on any subject,” he said.

The violent insurrection against the Capitol left five dead and 140 police officers injured.