An appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday denied Steve Bannon’s attempt to avoid prison time.
Bannon asked the federal appeals court earlier this month to delay his impending prison sentence on contempt of court charges.
The court denied his request, noting that his argument “does not justify a departure from the general rule.” The panel unanimously ruled that the suspension would not be justified because Bannon’s argument does not raise “a difficult issue or one that could very well be decided otherwise.”
In early June, a federal judge ordered former President Trump’s former adviser to report to prison by July 1 and begin serving his four-month sentence for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the attack. from January 6th to the Capitol.
In its Thursday ruling, the panel said Bannon “knew what the subpoena required but intentionally refused to appear or produce any of the requested documents.”
The panel also rejected Bannon’s argument that he “willfully” refused to do what was asked by the House committee. The justices cited the Supreme Court, which has “consistently recognized” that intentional is a “word of many meanings.”
“It provides no basis for concluding that a higher court is likely to overturn the established understanding of ‘willfully’ in the context of defiance of a clear duty to respond to congressional subpoenas,” the justices wrote.
Bannon was found guilty in 2022 of failing to appear for testimony before the House committee on January 6 and refusing to produce documents.
Last month, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals panel rejected Bannon’s appeal of his conviction and the Justice Department moved immediately to incarcerate him.
Bannon can now ask the entire appeals court bench to review Thursday’s decision or take his request to the Supreme Court, a step his lawyers have said they are willing to take if necessary.
He is one of two people charged and convicted of failing to comply with the committee’s January 6 orders. Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro is serving a four-month sentence for contempt.
The Hill has reached out to Bannon’s attorney for comment.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
