Democratic strategist James Carville said Steve Bannon, who is scheduled to report to prison next week, should be given a private cell because any cellmate could argue that living together with Bannon is “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment.
Carville joined MSNBC’s Ari Melber on Tuesday to discuss Bannon’s conviction and the former Trump campaign official’s recent statements.
“But I think whoever your cellmate is might make a good argument for the Eighth Amendment, if you remember that from law school. This is cruel and unusual punishment,” said Carville, highlighted by Mediaite. “You have to be in the cell and smell this guy. I think this is something out of some North Korean torture chamber.”
His comments came after Bannon told The Guardian that he believes everyone in the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee should believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen, claims that have not been substantiated.
Former President Trump’s former White House counselor is scheduled to report to prison on July 1. He filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, a last-ditch effort to avoid being behind bars.
He was convicted of contempt of Congress charges after being found guilty in 2022 of failing to appear for testimony before the House select committee’s investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, and refusing to produce requested documents.
Carville, who served as an advisor to former President Clinton, said he will have four months on the sentence “to take it all in.”
Bannon “will have a lot of time to think about 2020 and his past life and whatever the future holds,” he told the host, adding “But please, Lord… he needs a cell by himself because he’s going to smell like that prison.” fierce.”
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he will file a legal brief in support of the former Trump aide’s emergency appeal to the Supreme Court.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
