Trump adviser Bannon charged after defying Capitol riot subpoena

Stephen Bannon, once a prominent adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump, has been criminally charged for defying a subpoena issued by a congressional committee investigating theJanuary 6 attackon the Capitol, the Justice Department said on Friday.

Bannon has refused to cooperate with the House of Representatives select committee seeking testimony and documents from him, citing Trump's insistence – already rejected by one judge – that he has a right to keep the requested material confidential under a legal doctrine called executive privilege.

Bannon, 67, was charged with one count of contempt of Congress for refusing to appear for a deposition and a second count for refusing to produce documents. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $100,000.

Justice Department spokesperson Bill Miller said Bannon is "expected to self-surrender" on Monday in Washington and make his first court appearance in the case that afternoon.

Trump has sought to stonewall the committee, which is scrutinizing his actions relating to the deadly Capitol riot, and directed his former associates not to cooperate. The charges against Bannon may bolster the committee's efforts to secure testimony and documents from other Trump associates.

Bannon's indictment was announced just hours after Trump's former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows refused to appear for a deposition before the committee, risking also being found in contempt of Congress.

(CGTN)