Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon sentenced to 4 months in prison for contempt of Congress

Who is Steve Bannon and why is he key to Trump? 2:52 (CNN) — Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, was sentenced to 4 months in prison for contempt of Congress. Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump, determined that Bannon would serve that sentence for each of the two counts against him, albeit simultaneously. He also fined her US$6,500. Nichols said at the start of the hearing that Bannon “has shown no remorse” for his actions. To which his lawyers responded that the former adviser “should not apologize” because “there is nothing to punish here.” David Schoen, Bannon’s defender, argued that his client was defending American values ​​and government institutions, including the White House. This ruling represents a milestone in the Justice Department’s response to the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. The case against Bannon stemmed from his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating those events. In that sense, the prosecutors pointed out that by “disobeying” the Bannon summons “exacerbated” the attack on the rule of law that represented the insurrection in the country’s capital. Prosecutors’ recommendation Federal prosecutors on Monday recommended a six-month prison sentence for Bannon “for his sustained and bad faith contempt of Congress.” They also asked for a fine of US$200,000. According to prosecutors, Bannon did not fully comply with the probation office in its pre-sentence investigation, writing that the former aide “freely answered questions about his family, professional life, personal history and health. But the defendant refused to disclose his financial records, insisting instead that he is willing and able to pay any fine imposed, including the maximum fine for each conviction count.” They added: “The rioters who invaded the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building, they attacked the rule of law on which this country was built and through which it endures. By flouting the Select Commission’s subpoena and authority, the defendant exacerbated that attack.” Prosecutors also said that once Bannon’s subpoena occurred, his attorney sought an attorney from former President Trump to obtain an assertion of executive privilege, “although executive privilege could not permit total default by the defendant.” For their part, Bannon’s attorneys were seeking parole for his client, as well as asking that the sentence be delayed pending an appeal. The defense team argued in that filing that the former counsel believed executive privilege concerns precluded his cooperation in the House investigation. Prosecutors disputed that approach in court documents that showed Trump’s own attorney disagreed with Bannon’s stalling the investigation. Bannon Found Guilty of Contempt In July, a jury found Bannon guilty of two counts of contempt. The first for refusing to testify in the investigation and the second for not delivering the documents that the commission demanded. Each charge carries a maximum prison sentence of one year. Jurors reached a verdict in less than three hours. Before deliberating, they listened to evidence and witness testimony for two days. News in development…