Donald Trump‘s former ally, Steve Bannon, received a favorable ruling on Monday after he was convicted of failing to testify about the infamous insurrection that took place on Jan. 6, 2021.
In its ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court cleared a path for Trump’s administration to drop the charges against the former White House adviser who was convicted for defying a subpoena from Congress after the insurrection at the Capitol, CNN reported. The latest development comes after federal prosecutors made a plea to the Supreme Court in February, asking for Bannon to be cleared of the charges brought during Joe Biden’s term.
What’s next for Steven Bannon after the Supreme Court allowed a path for him to be cleared?
Before he spent four months in prison for defying the subpoena, Bannon asked for the Supreme Court to overrule the lower court’s decision to uphold the conviction. However, the high court ignored his plea at that time. With its decision on Monday, the Supreme Court is sending the case back to the appeals court, NPR reported. The latest decision clears a path for the lower court’s prior ruling to be vacated.
According to the BBC, the lower court is expected to dismiss the case against Bannon. However, the decision would be more of a symbolic gesture for the 72-year-old, who already served his time for a four-month sentence.
What did Steve Bannon say in his argument after being convicted of defying the subpoena?
Bannon said in his argument that he didn’t defy the subpoena “willfully.” The former Trump aide argued that intention is a necessary evidence that needs to be proven in order to be found guilty of contempt. According to NPR, Bannon said the President’s executive privilege protects him from being convicted. The lower court, in its prior ruling, decided that Bannon’s decision was indeed “willful.”