Trump's DOJ Seeks Dismissal of Bannon's Contempt Conviction

Donald Trump’s Department of Justice is pushing to dismiss the contempt case against Steve Bannon, a former adviser, who is currently appealing his conviction. This move comes after Bannon served a four-month sentence at a low-security facility for ignoring subpoenas from a congressional committee probing the January 6 insurrection.

Bannon's attempts to remain free during his appeal have been unsuccessful, as multiple federal judges and the Supreme Court denied his requests. On Monday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro filed a motion urging a federal judge to dismiss the case entirely.

“The government has determined in its prosecutorial discretion that dismissal of this criminal case is in the interests of justice,” the motion states, indicating a significant shift in the DOJ's stance.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to challenge the legitimacy of the committee investigating the Capitol attack, asserting that it was “unlawfully composed.” Solicitor General D. John Sauer has asked the Supreme Court to consider whether Bannon can claim relief from his contempt convictions based on this argument, which he did not present to the committee.

A federal grand jury previously found Bannon guilty of contempt on two counts: failing to appear for an interview and refusing to provide documents related to his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

If District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump, agrees with the DOJ's motion, Bannon’s conviction could be vacated, effectively ending his appeal at the Supreme Court.

“Today the Department of Justice told the Supreme Court that Steve Bannon’s conviction arising from the J6 ‘Unselect’ Committee’s improper subpoena should be vacated,” stated Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, this Department will continue to undo the prior administration’s weaponization of the justice system.”

The committee's final report accused the Trump campaign of orchestrating a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the election while failing to prevent a violent mob from storming Congress.

Bannon was sentenced in October 2022, with his conviction upheld on appeal in 2024. Before serving his sentence at a Danbury, Connecticut prison, he labeled himself a “political prisoner.”

“I am proud to go to prison,” he declared during a live stream of his War Room broadcast. “This is what it takes to stand up to tyranny.”

Previously, Trump had pardoned Bannon in a separate case involving conspiracy charges related to fundraising for a border wall, which spared him from federal trial. Last year, Bannon avoided prison time by pleading guilty to defrauding donors in a state-level case linked to that scheme.

As Bannon faced imprisonment for contempt, Trump called for criminal charges against members of the January 6 committee, alleging they had “deleted and destroyed evidence” that remains publicly accessible.

“The unAmerican Weaponization of our Law Enforcement has reached levels of Illegality never thought possible before,” he wrote. “INDICT THE UNSELECT J6 COMMITTEE FOR ILLEGALLY DELETING AND DESTROYING ALL OF THEIR ‘FINDINGS!’”

Bannon is not alone; former Trump aide Peter Navarro also faced jail time for defying subpoenas from the committee. Navarro served a similar four-month sentence after being found in contempt of Congress. The Justice Department has since withdrawn its defense of Navarro, leaving it to a federal appeals court to determine if his conviction can be overturned.