Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, on Friday was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to pay a $6,500 fine for defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 select committee.
Why it matters: The Justice Department had argued that the former Trump adviser should get six months in prison, the harshest sentence available under federal guidelines.
- U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols stayed the sentence while Bannon appeals his conviction.
- "Mr. Bannon has not taken responsibility for his actions. ... Flaunting Congressional subpoenas betrays a lack of respect for the legislative branch," Nichols said, according to Reuters.
The big picture: Bannon in July was found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena issued by the Jan. 6 select committee.
- The Department of Justice on Monday recommended that Bannon receive a six-month jail sentence and a $200,000 fine, saying that the ex-adviser "has pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt."
- Bannon's team had asked the judge to impose a sentence of probation instead of prison time.
- His sentencing came the same day former President Trump was subpoenaed by the committee.
Between the lines: Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in prison.
- The panel sought testimony from Bannon on his involvement in the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
What they're saying: "I respect the judge. The sentence he came down with today is his decision. ... I've been totally respectful of this entire process on the legal side," Bannon said after the hearing.
- He added: "Today was my judgment day by the judge. And he stayed it for the appeal, and we'll have a vigorous appeals process."
Go deeper... Steve Bannon's fraud trial expected in November 2023
This story has been updated with additional details.
