Steve Bannon surrendered himself at the FBI Washington Field Office in Washington, D.C., on Monday morning.
The former aide to former President Donald Trump was indicted Friday by a federal grand jury for failing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He is charged on one count of refusing to present documents the committee request and another count related to his failure to appear for a deposition. The Justice Department said each count could carry a maximum of one year in jail.
Bannon, 67, said that he was live-streaming his surrender to the FBI on social media platform Gettr and encouraged people to follow his War Room show.
“I don’t want anyone taking their eye off the ball,” he said. “We’re taking down the Biden regime.”
He will make an initial appearance in court this afternoon. He will be arraigned and enter a plea.
According to Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton, Bannon refused to even communicate with the committee, distinguishing himself from others in the committee’s cross-hairs. Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows communicated with the committee through a lawyer.
Like Bannon, Meadows has also refused to provide documents to the committee, citing executive privilege. Meadows failed to comply with the committee’s deadline on Friday to appear before the committee and provide documents.
Trump asserted executive privilege over communication with his staff during the lead-up to the Jan. 6 riots. The Biden administration waived claims of executive privilege in early October.
Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson has also dismissed assertions of executive privilege and demanded that the committee gets access to all relevant documents and testimony.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday that Bannon’s indictment on two counts of contempt of Congress demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to following the rule of law.
“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law,” Garland said in a statement. “Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”
