Jan. 6 committee recommends Bannon face criminal contempt for defying subpoena

The House Jan. 6 select committee voted Tuesday night to recommend that Steve Bannon, a one-time top adviser to former President Donald Trump, be held in contempt of Congress over his refusal to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into the Capitol riot.

The panel’s unanimous recommendation will advance to the full House for another vote, which will occur Thursday. If approved, the measure will advance to the Justice Department, whose officials will make the final decision on whether to prosecute Bannon. The former Trump adviser could face a fine or a jail term of up to 12 months.

"Mr. Bannon stands alone in his complete defiance of our subpoena. That's not acceptable," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the panel's chairman, said in remarks prior to the vote. "No one in this country, no matter how wealthy or how powerful, is above the law."

In their contempt report for Bannon, the panel said his team had "relied on no legal authority to support his refusal to comply in any fashion with the subpoena." The report said Bannon had "specific knowledge about the events planned for January 6th before they occurred," noting that he said on his Jan. 5 podcast that "all hell is going to break loose tomorrow."

Thompson indicated the panel would pursue similar action if other witnesses do not cooperate with the investigation.