Trump adviser Steve Bannon sentenced

A federal judge Friday sentenced Steve Bannon, a former strategist for President Donald Trump, to four months in prison and a $6,500 fine. A jury convicted him in July on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot. Bannon’s attorneys said they will appeal the ruling, which would delay Bannon’s prison stay. This is the first time in 40 years that someone has been convicted of contempt of Congress.

What was Bannon’s defense? Bannon said his lawyers advised him that Trump’s claim of executive privilege made it impossible for him to appear before the committee. However, prosecutors noted that Bannon had left the White House in 2017—before the 2020 riot. The judge said that Bannon didn’t ignore the committee but was acting on the advice of his lawyer. The judge agreed to stay his ruling while Bannon appeals the verdict, meaning that Bannon walks free for now.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report in The Stew on Congress considering updating election confirmation rules.