Steve Bannon news: Ex-White House strategist won’t be detained before trial as Trump judge given case

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Trump adviser Bannon turns himself into FBI

Less than a year after he was granted a last-minute pardon by former President Donald Trump, former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon is in FBI custody once more.

The conservative podcast host and former Breitbart News chairman surrendered himself at the FBI’s Washington Field Office shortly after 9.30 am on Monday.

On Friday, a District of Columbia grand jury indicted Mr Bannon on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress, the result of a referral by the House of Representatives last month after he defied a subpoena commanding him to give evidence before the House select committee investigating the 6 January insurrection.

As he walked towards the FBI building, he stopped briefly to address a camera that was live-streaming his surrender for his War Room podcast.

He told his viewers: “I don’t want anybody to take their eye off the ball, what we do every day” and declared that he and his supporters were “taking down the Biden regime” and called the case against him “all noise, not signal”.

At a short hearing, Mr Bannon surrendered his passport and agreed to weekly check-ins withpretrial services. His arraignment is set for Thursday at 11am.

The case has been assigned to Judge Carl Nichols, a 2019 Trump appointee.

Key Points

• Steve Bannon surrenders to FBI after criminal charge for defying Capitol riot committee
• Bannon as alt-right martyr?
• Trump voiced support for Bannon on Sunday
• Bannon claims executive privilege precludes him from testifying
• Is a Trump-appointed judge good news for Bannon? Not necessarily

[15 November 2021 20:40 · Oliver O'Connell]