Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon has filed an emergency request to delay the start of his prison sentence in order to appeal his conviction for contempt of Congress. Bannon was ordered to report to jail on July 1 for defying a subpoena to testify before the House Jan. 6 committee. His legal team is seeking a ruling on his request by June 18 and is prepared to take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary. If approved, this request would further prolong Bannon’s years-long effort to remain free from imprisonment following his 2022 sentencing.
Bannon’s request was filed with a federal appeals court in Washington D.C., with his counsel stating that he intends to vigorously pursue his remaining appeals in the contempt of Congress case. The court is expected to rule on Bannon’s request just days before he is scheduled to begin his four-month prison sentence. This move mirrors a similar request made by another ex-Trump adviser, Peter Navarro, earlier this year, which was ultimately denied. Navarro began serving his own four-month sentence for contempt of Congress in March.
Bannon was sentenced to prison in October 2022 after disregarding a subpoena to provide testimony to the House Jan. 6 committee. In addition to his four-month prison term, he was also fined $6,500. Despite previous requests to postpone his imprisonment being rejected by the appeals court, Bannon’s legal team is confident in their ability to continue delaying his sentence through appeals to higher courts. The court’s decision on the upcoming request will determine whether Bannon will proceed with reporting to jail on July 1 or if his sentence will once again be postponed.
In a bid to further prolong his time outside of prison, Bannon’s legal team is prepared to take his case to the Supreme Court if necessary. This latest development follows a string of legal battles and appeals in an effort to overturn his contempt of Congress conviction. Should the court approve his request, Bannon would continue to evade imprisonment, adding to the ongoing saga surrounding his refusal to cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee’s investigation. As the legal process unfolds, the future remains uncertain for Bannon as he seeks to appeal his conviction and avoid serving his prison sentence.
