Bannon willing to testify at public Jan. 6 hearing as contempt trial looms

[mystery-ak]

 Bannon willing to testify at public Jan. 6 hearing as contempt trial looms
by Zach Schonfeld - 07/10/22 3:53 PM ET

Stephen Bannon is willing to testify publicly before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, his lawyer told the panel in a letter Saturday, in a stark change of course after former President Trump said he would waive executive privilege.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a member of the House panel, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that Bannon’s attorney had sent a letter to the committee indicating his willingness to testify. Multiple outlets published the letter later on Sunday morning.

“President Trump has decided that it would be in the best interests of the American people to waive executive privilege for Stephen K. Bannon, to allow Mr. Bannon to comply with the subpoena issued by your Committee,” Bannon’s attorney Robert Costello wrote in the letter.

“Mr. Bannon is willing to, and indeed prefers, to testify at your public hearing,” he wrote.

Bannon is set to go on trial later this month for defying a subpoena from the House panel. The Justice Department indicted Bannon in November after the full House voted to hold him in contempt of Congress.

Costello’s letter contained an attachment signed by Trump, which the former president also posted on his Truth Social platform, stating he would waive executive privilege if Bannon reached an agreement on the time and place for his testimony.

“When you first received the subpoena to testify and provide documents, I invoked executive privilege,” Trump wrote. “However, I watched how unfairly you and others have been treated, having to spend vast amounts of money on legal fees, and all of the trauma you must be going through for the love of your Country, and out of respect for the Office of the President.”

more
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3551699-bannon-says-he-will-testify-at-public-jan-6-hearing-as-contempt-trial-looms/

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

BREAKING: Trump sends letter to Jan 6 Committee allowing Bannon to publicly testify.



https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-trump-sends-letter-to-jan-6-committee-allowing-bannon-to-publicly-testify?utm_campaign=64483

10:08 AM · Jul 10, 2022  Twitter for iPhone

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

BREAKING: Judge blocks Bannon executive privilege defense, orders trial to commence next Monday for refusing to speak to Jan 6 Committee

3:16 PM · Jul 11, 2022 from Washington, DC·Twitter Web App

[Hoodat]

DC judge rules Bannon must stand trial next week for refusing to speak to J6 Committee, strips exec privilege defense

"What's the point of going to trial here if there are no defenses?" asked David Schoen, Bannon's attorney, after the hearing.

Libby Emmons  |  July 11, 2022 4:19 PM

Stve Bannon in June asked for a delay in the contempt of Congress trial set to begin next week, but a judge denied that request, along with any real chance of Bannon offering a defense. The trial, which has been referred to as "banana republic behavior," is set to start on July 18.

"What's the point of going to trial here if there are no defenses?" asked David Schoen, Bannon's attorney, after the hearing.

The delay was requested by Bannon's attorneys, stating that "It would be impossible to guarantee Mr. Bannon a fair trial in the middle of much-publicized Select Committee hearings which purport to broadcast investigative 'findings' on topics that are referenced in the indictment."

What Nichols will allow Bannon to present in his defense is far less than he disallowed, saying that Bannon, essentially, could provide evidence that he didn't know the deadlines to respond to the Congressional subpoena.  .  .

https://thepostmillennial.com/dc-judge-rules-bannon-must-stand-trial-next-week-for-refusing-to-speak-to-j6-committee-strips-exec-privilege-defense


The judge is essentially depriving Bannon the right to formulate his own defense in front of a jury of his peers.  Bannon should prepare himself now for the worst possible outcome - 12 months in prison and a $1,000 fine.  The only defense that is feasible here is to challenge the legitimacy of the committee itself which was formed in violation of House rules.