The DOJ is recommending an extremely stiff sentence for Steve Bannon, who was convicted of contempt of Congress earlier in the year after defying a subpoena by the January 6th committee. According to the sentencing memorandum, the federal government wants Bannon to spend six months in prison and have to pay a $200,000 fine.
NEW: DOJ wants six months in prison for Steve Bannon.
"For his sustained, bad-faith contempt of Congress,
the Defendant should be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment—the top end of the Sentencing
Guidelines’ range—and fined $200,000…"— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) October 17, 2022
BREAKING: US Atty Matthew Graves, a Biden campaign advisor, wants maximum for Steve Bannon contempt of Congress conviction. pic.twitter.com/5EpRLsYnpb
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) October 17, 2022
The sentencing demand by the DOJ outpaced expectations, which were that Bannon would spend 30 days or so in jail. Six months is nearly unheard of in these cases.
In fact, anyone getting criminally prosecuted for not obeying a congressional subpoena is nearly unheard of. It wasn’t that long ago that Obama officials Eric Holder and Lois Lerner both defied congressional subpoenas from a Republican-controlled House. Despite criminal referrals, and in the case of Holder, even though a large number of Democrats voted that he be held in contempt, the DOJ never even entertained the idea of pursuing the case criminally.
Yet, once again, Democrats have chosen to change the rules to benefit them politically. That means it’s left up to Republicans to make sure they are enforced equally. In January, barring an asteroid hitting Earth, the GOP will be back in charge of the House of Representatives. The investigations need to start immediately, and subpoenas need to be handed out like candy. Dare Democrat officials and their political operatives to not show up and answer for their corruption. When they don’t, send the criminal referrals over to the DOJ and make them own the new standard they set.
Further, none of this should be forgotten once Republicans retake the White House, and by virtue, the DOJ. Biden officials have argued that executive privilege does not apply to presidents who have left office. At that point, Biden alums must be made to suffer under the rules they applied to those in Trump’s orbit. Let the subpoenas fly, and let the prosecutions stack up if they don’t show up. Trying to reset some form of mutually-assured destruction is the only path forward after this.
