WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection has set a vote to recommend criminal contempt charges against former White House aide Steve Bannon after he defied the panel’s subpoena.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said that the panel will vote Tuesday to recommend the charges. That would send the recommendation to the full House for a vote.
If the House votes to recommend the contempt charges against Bannon, the Justice Department will ultimately decide whether to prosecute.
The committee had demanded documents and testimony from Bannon, who was in touch with President Donald Trump ahead of the violent attack. Bannon’s lawyer said he won’t appear after Trump directed him not to.
Thompson, chairman of the Jan. 6 committee, said in a statement Thursday that the committee will not tolerate defiance of its subpoenas, so they “must move forward with proceedings to refer Mr. Bannon for criminal contempt.”
Former Trump Defense Department official Kashyap Patel was also scheduled for a deposition Thursday but also will not appear, according to two people familiar with the plans who spoke with The Associated Press anonymously. Patel is still engaging with the committee, the people said.
“The Select Committee will use every tool at its disposal to get the information it seeks, and witnesses who try to stonewall the Select Committee will not succeed,” wrote Thompson in his statement. “All witnesses are required to provide the information they possess so the Committee can get to the facts. We’re grateful to the many individuals who are voluntarily participating and to witnesses who are complying with subpoenas, including several who met the deadline to begin producing materials to the Select Committee. We’re moving ahead quickly to get answers for the American people about what happened on January 6th and help secure the future of American democracy.”
