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The Justice Department has filed a motion to vacate the conviction of Steve Bannon on contempt of Congress charges related to the January 6 Capitol riot investigation. Bannon, a former White House strategist under President Donald Trump, was convicted in 2022 and served a four-month prison term. The DOJ's filing on Thursday (November 5) argues that Bannon was protected by executive privilege when he defied a congressional subpoena, as reported by NBC News.
The DOJ expressed "significant doubts" about the fairness of Bannon's trial and stated that pursuing the charges is inconsistent with the current administration's enforcement priorities. The motion, signed by Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Weisbuch, highlights that the Executive Branch does not find it appropriate to pursue contempt charges against a former presidential advisor who believed he was protected by executive privilege.
According to UPI, the motion also acknowledges President Trump's pardons of over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the Capitol riot. The DOJ's filing further notes that President Trump has expressed concerns about the Biden Administration's prosecutions related to January 6.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was appointed by Trump, previously denied a motion to dismiss Bannon's indictment, citing a lack of justification. However, the Supreme Court had vacated the charges against Bannon and returned the case to a lower court for dismissal, as reported by ABC News. Judge Nichols' ruling allows the DOJ another opportunity to provide a fuller explanation for why the case should be dismissed.