BSS :
US lawmakers held a key ally of ex-president Donald Trump in criminal contempt of Congress on Thursday for defying a subpoena to testify before a panel investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is in the spotlight over the role he may have had in organizing the insurrection and efforts he may have pursued to coordinate with Trump and his aides.
The House of Representatives voted to refer Bannon to federal prosecutors to make a decision on whether to press charges, although the ensuing legal battle would likely play out over several months, potentially frustrating the probe. ” Bannon stands alone in his defiance, and we will not stand for it,” committee chairman Bennie Thompson said.
“We will not allow anyone to derail our work because our work is too important — helping ensure that the future of American democracy is strong and secure.”
Investigators see Bannon’s testimony as pivotal to a clear understanding of Trump’s actions before and during the deadly assault on a joint session of Congress to certify Joe Biden’s election victory. Several lawmakers pointed to comments by Bannon on his podcast in the days leading up to and on the morning of the insurrection.
“All hell is going to break loose tomorrow…. This is not a day for fantasy, this is a day for maniacal focus. Focus, focus, focus,” he said. “We’re coming in right over the target, okay? This is the point of attack we always wanted.”
Bannon, 67, was supposed to appear before the cross-party congressional select committee last week but said Trump’s lawyers had instructed him not to show up, on the grounds of “executive privilege.” Congress rejected the protection, which allows presidents to keep certain communications with aides confidential, saying it didn’t apply in the case of Trump and Bannon.
