Steve Bannon Loses Contempt Appeal

Steve Bannon’s appeal of his contempt of Congress conviction failed in a federal appeals court today. Bannon was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to four months in prison after refusing to provide documents and testify to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.

The appeals court upheld Bannon’s conviction, stating in their judgment:

This cause came on to be heard on the record on appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and was argued by counsel. On consideration thereof, it is ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the judgment of conviction and sentence under 2 U.S.C. § 192 be affirmed, in accordance with the opinion of the court filed herein this date.

Bannon could appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, with Bannon allowed seven days to petition for a rehearing:

It is ORDERED, on the court’s own motion, that the Clerk withhold issuance of the mandate herein until seven days after disposition of any timely petition for rehearing or petition for rehearing en banc. See Fed. R. App. P. 41(b); D.C. Cir. Rule 41. This instruction to the Clerk is without prejudice to the right of any party to move for expedited issuance of the mandate for good cause shown.

Peter Navarro, who was a trade advisor to former President Donald Trump, was also convicted of contempt of Congress and began serving a four-month sentence at FCI Miami in March 2024.