The defense in Steve Bannon’s trial has carried out its case without calling any witnesses, asking the judge to acquit him.
Key points:
- Steve Bannon, the former presidential adviser to Donald Trump, has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors.
- The prosecution called two witnesses for two days
- Bannon told reporters: ‘I stand with Trump and the constitution’
Bannon is charged with contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee investigating last year’s attack on the US Capitol.
Donald Trump’s well-known former presidential adviser Bannon, 68, has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors.
He was charged after refusing a subpoena from the House of Representatives select committee seeking witnesses and documents as part of its investigation into the January 6, 2021, riots by people trying to overturn the Trump’s 2020 election defeat.
A day after the prosecution rested its case, having called only two witnesses over two days, David Schoen, one of Mr Bannon’s lawyers, told US District Judge Carl Nichols that the defense would not present witnesses .
Closing arguments from both sides are expected on Friday, and the jury will begin deliberations then.
The defense argued motions asking Judge Nichols to acquit Mr. Bannon, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove its case, or dismiss the charges because the defendant could not call as witnesses the politicians who are part of the committee, undermining his right to a fair trial.
These motions are common and rarely granted.
In a court filing, Judge Nichols said he intended to rule on both motions after the jury reached a verdict.
“The government has built its case and presented no evidence on which a reasonable person could find beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Bannon is guilty of the contempt of Congress charges,” said Evan Corcoran, another of the lawyers. from Bannon, to the judge. .
Prosecutor Amanda Vaughn rejected that, saying, “The government has presented sufficient evidence.”
Mr. Schoen told Judge Nichols that Mr. Bannon’s lawyers had been “badly hampered in their ability to present a defense” because of some of the judge’s pretrial rulings that limited the types of arguments Mr. Bannon could make to the jury.
Judge Nichols responded that some of his rulings were tied to legal precedent “that I don’t even think is right.”
Bannon chose not to testify at trial because of limits the judge placed on the defense, Schoen said.
Mr. Bannon’s main defense at trial was that he believed the subpoena deadlines were flexible. (AP: Sarah Silbiger)
Bannon was prevented from arguing that he believed his communications with Trump were subject to a legal doctrine called executive privilege that could keep certain presidential communications confidential.
Judge Nichols also prevented Bannon from arguing that he relied on the legal advice of a lawyer to refuse to comply.
Mr Bannon’s main defense at trial was that he believed the subpoena deadlines were flexible and subject to negotiation between his lawyer and the committee.
Kristin Amerling, a senior committee staff member, said Mr. Bannon ignored both subpoena deadlines, failed to ask for extensions and offered an invalid justification for his challenge: the claim of executive privilege.
Corcoran told the judge Thursday that while Ms. Amerling testified that the subpoena dates were inflexible, she could not articulate why those dates were selected or who chose them.
Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and attacked police in a failed effort to block formal congressional certification of his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, which Trump falsely claimed was the result of widespread fraud by votes
Bannon was a key adviser to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, then served in 2017 as the White House’s chief strategist.
Only once has Mr. Bannon spoken in court during the trial.
He said, “Yes, your honor,” when Judge Nichols asked if he agreed not to testify.
However, outside the court, Mr Bannon has let loose in front of the TV cameras.
He told reporters that he had probably testified in several cases “more than anyone in the Trump administration” and that in those cases the lawyers negotiated and settled it “every time.”
“One last thing: I stand with Trump and the constitution,” Bannon added.
Reuters