Donald Trump is trying to clear the criminal record of his longtime confidant Steven Bannon relating to the January 6 Capitol riot.
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court and a federal judge on Monday to dismiss Bannon’s criminal indictment and conviction for refusing to testify before the Democrat-led January 6 Committee.
A DOJ representative declared removing the charges against Bannon is in the ‘interests of justice’ after years of alleged political persecution under the prior administration.
Bannon served four months in federal prison in 2024 after being convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress.
The January 6 Committee was formed by a Democratic majority under Nancy Pelosi to investigate the attack on the US Capitol in 2021.
Solicitor General John Sauer wrote in a Supreme Court motion: ‘The government has determined in its prosecutorial discretion that dismissal of this criminal case is in the interests of justice.
‘The government has accordingly lodged a motion in the district court under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 48(a) to vacate the judgment and dismiss the indictment with prejudice.’
Trump’s DOJ on Monday asked the Supreme Court o dismiss Bannon’s criminal indictment and conviction for refusing to testify before the Democrat-led January 6 committee
Back in 2021, Bannon refused to not only testify but also declined to provide any documents to the January 6 committee
The justices are currently reviewing an appeal filed by Bannon’s attorneys.
The Daily Mail reached out to Bannon for comment.
The Justice Department argued that the law ‘allows the government to seek dismissal even after a jury finds the defendant guilty and the district court enters judgment.’
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also argued that the House January 6 Select Committee was not created properly, and therefore, the subpoenas for Bannon to testify were unlawful.
Blanche also claimed the January 6 Committee was part of the Biden administration’s ‘weaponization’ of the legal system.
‘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,’ Blanche said.
‘Under the leadership of Attorney General Bondi, this Department will continue to undo the prior administration’s weaponization of the justice system.’
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro requested a federal judge in Washington DC on Monday vacate Bannon’s prior conviction and dismiss the indictment.
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Is this justice or political payback?
Bannon has been a close adviser to President Donald Trump for over a decade
Bannon has been a close adviser to Trump for over a decade and is often credited as being a key part of Trump’s electoral success in 2016 against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In 2021, Bannon refused to testify and declined to provide any documents to the committee.
The House voted soon after to hold him in contempt of Congress and the Biden DOJ led the prosecution.
