Steve Bannon Begins Prison Sentence for Defying Subpoena

Steve Bannon, conservative podcaster and former advisor to President Donald Trump, has surrendered to authorities to begin his four-month prison sentence. 

The Details: Bannon held a roadside press conference on Monday, joined by supporters including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). He was convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress over his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. Bannon attempted to appeal his conviction, but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case. In September, he will face another trial on fraud charges linked to his "We Build The Wall" campaign. Despite Bannon’s absence, his podcast will continue with a line-up of various conservative figures stepping in to host.

For Context: Bannon, co-founder of Breitbart (Right bias), has championed right-wing and nationalist movements in the U.S. and elsewhere. He was pardoned by former President Trump from federal crimes, but the charges he now faces are at a state level, which a president cannot pardon. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage often employed various labels to describe Bannon, with The New Republic (Left bias) calling him a “MAGA mastermind” and The Federalist (Right bias) calling him a “colossal figure in conservative media.” While some on the left framed Bannon’s news conference as chaotic, some on the right highlighted Bannon’s narrative that he was a “political prisoner.”