This was open and shut as it was predicted to be. The facts and the law were both against Steve Bannon. He was served with a lawful subpoena and he flat out ignored it. Bannon felt that he could morph this situation into a political drama wherein he was a martyr, a political prisoner, the heroic right-wing demagogue and that fantasy fell flat. Daily Beast:
Bannon, who was on trial this week for contempt of Congress over his decision to ignore subpoenas related to the Jan. 6 Committee, had promised a fiery trial that would embarrass the government. In the end, he and his legal team didn’t put a single witness on the stand—not even Bannon.
The prosecution was able to present the case as an open-and-shut affair, asking jurors to consider the facts: Did Bannon show up for depositions? Did he comply with subpoenas?
The answer to those questions were emphatically no, and jurors seemed to agree that the case wasn’t much more complex than that.
And the Committee had every reason to want to question Bannon. He was a key player.
The Jan. 6 Committee’s historic, televised hearings in recent weeks have revealed just why they wanted evidence from Bannon so badly. White House phone records obtained by congressional investigators showed how, on the day before the insurrection, Trump twice called his former adviser—now a podcaster who trafficks in rightwing conspiracy theories. Minutes after the phone chat, Bannon took to his War Room: Pandemic podcast and announced, “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow. It’s all converging, and we’re on the point of attack.”
Yet, even today, the committee has not received a single document from Bannon about his communications with the former president and his interactions with fascist militias and street gangs now facing seditious conspiracy charges for attacking the Capitol building.
Bannon was going to “go medieval” on the January 6 Committee and at the end all that happened was a gigantic nothing burger.
Now the question is sentencing. He could get up to two years and it would be wonderful if he did. It would also send a message to the others, yes Mark Meadows, we’re talking about you, who are ignoring their legal duty, not to mention moral obligation, to testify about January 6.
Give him the maximum including the fines. No more yachts. Toilet. Sink. Desk. Bunk. Welcome home.
Tucker will no doubt comment on the “urban” jury tonight.
Sing it with me now (to the tune of I’ve Been Working On The Railroad):
Guilty, gulity guilty guil-ty,
Guilty, guilty guilty guil-ty.
Bannon’s guilty guilty guil-ty
He’s off to jail hoo-ray HOO-Ray!
Given the fact that Seedy Steve’s already a convicted felon, pardoned by Trumpler, who should be in jail, surely the judge will throw the book at him this time. It’s a slim book and at most it will be 2 years + some fines, but it will be accountability at last. If he gets off with a couple of months, thanks to a Trumpler judge, then we the people have lost again.
Given all the circus stunts he tried pulling at trial, Bannon is getting the max. Judges get annoyed when defendents do his kind of schtick.
Hey Mr unkempt. Wonder how many times ur fearful leader will visit u in jail? Zero. Oh, & remember the suspicious demise of Jeffrey b4 he could spill his guts on the number & names of his buddies that went to rape island. So…if they post guards outside your cell…uh oh. Remember the hospital scene in the Godfather? Except you have no loyal sons & the morons from frumpy only show when you’re chained to a post & they have a rifle in hand.
Meadows SHOULD be in Wake County jail awaiting trial for voter fraud. Right Josh stein?