Committee investigating Jan. 6 attack on Capitol begins process to hold Steve Bannon in contempt

The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol announced it will hold a meeting to begin the process of holding Steve Bannon in contempt defying a subpoena.

“Mr. Bannon has declined to cooperate with the Select Committee and is instead hiding behind the former President’s insufficient, blanket, and vague statements regarding privileges he has purported to invoke,” Chairman Bennie G. Thompson said Friday. “We reject his position entirely.”

Thompson added that the committee will vote Tuesday on adopting a contempt report.

“The Select Committee will not tolerate defiance of our subpoenas, so we must move forward with proceedings to refer Mr. Bannon for criminal contempt,” Thompson said.

Bannon is the first person to face the threat of criminal content for defying a subpoena from the committee.

“We’re grateful to the many individuals who are voluntarily participating and to witnesses who are complying with subpoenas, including several who met the deadline to begin producing materials to the Select Committee,” Thompson stated.

If the committee votes to adopt a contempt report, Thompson said several steps will need to be taken before the matter is handed off to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who would then bring the matter before a grand jury.

“After the Select Committee has adopted a contempt report, it is referred to the House for a vote and, upon its adoption, the Speaker certifies the report to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” Thompson said.

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