A federal judge declined on Wednesday to dismiss the criminal conviction of Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, for his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena related to the Capitol riot investigation. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols determined that prosecutors had not adequately justified their rationale for seeking the dismissal. The judge indicated, however, that the government may pursue the matter again if it follows proper legal procedures.
The Justice Department, led by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, had requested the dismissal in February, citing prosecutorial discretion and stating that the action would serve “the interests of justice.” Pirro, a Trump appointee, provided no further explanation for the government’s position. The ruling came months after the U.S. Supreme Court, acting on a prosecution request, reversed an appellate court decision that had upheld Bannon’s conviction for contempt of Congress.
Bannon was convicted by a jury in 2022 after declining to testify before the House committee examining the riot. He subsequently served a four-month prison sentence. The federal appeals court in Washington initially upheld the conviction before the Supreme Court overturned that judgment. A dismissal of the case at this stage would carry primarily symbolic consequences, given that Bannon has already completed his prison term. Judge Nichols was appointed to the bench during the first Trump administration.
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