The Trump Justice Department asked the Supreme Court and a federal judge Monday to dismiss the criminal contempt indictment and conviction of Steve Bannon for refusing to testify before the House January 6 committee, calling the move in the “interests of justice.”
Solicitor General John Sauer told the justices the government has filed a motion under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 48(a) to vacate the judgment and dismiss the indictment with prejudice, noting the law allows dismissal even after a guilty verdict and sentencing.
Separately, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro asked a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to vacate the conviction. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the subpoena from the Democrat-led January 6 Select Committee was improper and described the case as part of a broader weaponization of the justice system the department is working to undo.
The legal fight stems from a Sept. 23, 2021 subpoena issued by the House January 6 committee seeking documents and testimony from Bannon, who had served as a policy adviser to President Trump in 2017. After he declined to comply, the House voted to hold him in contempt, leading to a 2021 indictment on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress. Bannon was later convicted and served time in prison.
