Former Trump adviser Bannon sentenced to prison for contempt of Congress

Steve Bannon

, a former adviser to

, was sentenced today to four months in prison for refusing to testify in the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on Capitol Hill by supporters of the former Republican president.

Bannon, one of the architects of Trump's campaign and presidential victory in 2016, has been

for defying a subpoena to testify about the riots.

The judge allowed Bannon, who was also fined $6,500, to remain free pending what his attorney says will be a "bulletproof" appeal.

Bannon, a longtime Trump strategist, struck a

as he left federal court in Washington, lashing out at President

Democratic leaders

.

"Today was the day of my trial by the judge," Bannon told reporters.

"On November 8, the illegitimate Biden regime will be tried," he promised, alluding to the upcoming mid-term elections.

"And we know which way that is going. The Biden administration ends on the night of November 8," he said.

Bannon had been greeted upon arrival at the courthouse by protesters chanting

.

Asked by White House reporters about Bannon's sentence, Biden dismissively responded: "I never have a reaction with Steve Bannon."

"no testimonial"

Last July, Bannon had been found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to attend a subpoena to testify.

The prison sentence was less than the six months that the Prosecutor's Office had requested, but greater than the probation that the defense had requested.

Bannon said

on the advice of his attorney, who told him that doing so would violate Trump's presidential privileges.

But he also claimed that he felt the parliamentary committee's investigation into the events of January 6 was politically motivated.

However, federal judge

rejected the arguments, holding that Trump had never asserted executive privilege in Bannon's case and that it needed to be investigated.

"The events of January 6 were undeniably serious," Nichols said before sentencing.

Furthermore, he indicated that

on issues that were not related to possible executive privilege.

Bannon "has not provided a single document ... and has not provided any testimony on any subject," he said.

The violent insurrection against the Capitol left five dead and 140 police officers injured.

Attack on the rule of law

Despite the prison sentence, Bannon, who currently runs a conservative political commentary website,

while the appeal is processed.

The investigation by a special House committee revealed that Bannon knew in advance of Trump hardliners' plan to attack Capitol Hill to prevent Democrat Biden from being confirmed as president.

It also showed Bannon defending blocking the certification of Biden, who defeated Trump in the November 2020 election. "The vandals who stormed the Capitol on January 6 didn't just attack a building, they

" upon which this country was built and by which it endures," the

told the court in its sentencing memorandum.

"By flouting the special committee's subpoena and authority, the defendant exacerbated that assault," he added.

Bannon served in the White House

and reportedly left due to conflicts with other top officials.

In 2020,

for taking for personal use millions of dollars that donors had contributed to build a wall on the border with Mexico, a Trump campaign promise.

But before leaving office in January 2021,

, leading to the dismissal of the charges against him.

Meanwhile, the congressional investigative commission formally summoned the former Republican president this Friday

.

In addition, they ask him to deliver a series of documents before November 4, including a report of all his communications on January 6, 2021. "As demonstrated in our hearings,

, including from dozens of his former collaborators,

and obstruct the peaceful transition of power," the committee told Trump in a letter made public.

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