Steve Bannon, a key aide to former US President Donald Trump and an influential figure on the US right, has been found guilty of contempt of Congress for rejecting a subpoena from the committee investigating last year's attack on the US Capitol, in a major victory for the Democratic-led committee.
Bannon, 68, was convicted on two counts by a jury for refusing to testify or provide documents to a House select committee as it scrutinized the January 6, 2021 riots, when Trump supporters tried to alter the results of the 2020 presidential election. .
Each contempt of Congress charge carries a prison sentence of 30 days to a year behind bars, in addition to a fine of between $100 and $100,000.
US District Judge Carl Nichols has set an October 21 sentencing date.
The verdict, handed down by a jury of 8 men and 4 women, after less than 3 hours of deliberation, marks the first successful trial for contempt of Congress since 1974.
Trump attacks the committee
Former US President Donald Trump has strongly attacked the parliamentary committee that is investigating the attacks carried out by his supporters on the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.
Hours after lawmakers wrapped up hearings seeking to convict him for inaction during the riots in the capital, Trump said on the Twitter-like platform of Truth Social, "I ran a rigged election that was stolen from me and our country. The United States is going to hell. Should I? Would I be happy?” He accused the commission of being “too corrupt and biased.”
The 76-year-old, who is showing an interest in running for president in 2024, asked why lawmakers had not asked the Secret Service to confirm what a former White House employee said that Trump sought to drive an officer's car in an attempt to join the protesters on May 6. January 2021. "Because they know the answer and they don't like it. Bad court," he said in response.
Not only that, Trump attacked prominent Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, calling him a "cheap prankster" after the committee released previously unreleased footage of McConnell seeking to vacate the Capitol so that Congress could certify Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the election.
After administration witnesses testified that Trump had not reached out to any city or federal official to quell the violence, the Republican president sought to blame his political rival, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
He also confirmed that Liz Cheney was a "pretentious failure", after the Republican Representative described him as an unpatriotic and dangerous man for repeating the lie of the fraudulent elections.
Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, was shunned by her party for her sharp criticism of Trump, but she continued her attack on him Thursday night.
"Every American should reconsider this," she said, adding, "Can a president who wanted to make the choices that Donald Trump made during the violence of January 6 be trusted in any position of power in our great nation again?"