This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: ‘Gutless’: Steve Bannon rips Bennie Thomson for not showing up for contempt trial
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Trending > ‘Gutless’: Steve Bannon rips Bennie Thomson for not showing up for contempt trial
Trending

‘Gutless’: Steve Bannon rips Bennie Thomson for not showing up for contempt trial

Editorial Board Published July 19, 2022
Share
‘Gutless’: Steve Bannon rips Bennie Thomson for not showing up for contempt trial
SHARE

Stephen K. Bannon ripped House Jan. 6 Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson as “gutless” for sending a staff member to testify as the prosecution’s first witness in the former Trump adviser’s trial on charges of criminal contempt of Congress.

Kristin Amerling, the Jan. 6 committee’s deputy staff director and chief counsel, began outlining the case against Mr. Bannon on Tuesday in federal court.

The long-delayed trial began in earnest in the District of Columbia after an arduous jury selection process and a spat over key evidence.

Mr. Bannon, speaking with a swarm of reporters and protesters later outside the courthouse, fired back at the Mississippi Democrat running the Jan. 6 panel.   

“Bennie Thompson is a total, absolute disgrace, and this show trial they’re running is a disgrace,” Mr. Bannon said.

“He didn’t have the guts to show up here, and he sent a staffer,” he said. “I challenge Bennie Thompson today to have the courage to come to this courthouse. If he’s going to charge somebody with a crime, he’s got to be man enough to show up here. It is outrageous.”


SEE ALSO: Steve Bannon’s defense team withdraws request for delay in his contempt trial


Mr. Bannon is on trial for criminal contempt of Congress after defying the Jan. 6 committee’s demands for documents and deposition in its probe of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

The prosecution laid out what it said was a straightforward case of Mr. Bannon refusing to comply with demands to turn over documents and testimony after receiving a subpoena from the committee last fall.

“The defendant decided he was above the law,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Rose Vaughn told jurors.

She said the committee’s subpoena “wasn’t a request” but rather a “legally enforceable order” and that Mr. Bannon rebuffed lawmakers after Congress set firm deadlines for him to appear and rejected his “excuses” for not complying.

Mr. Bannon argued after receiving the subpoena that the requested documents and testimony were protected under former President Donald Trump’s claims of executive privilege, which were, at the time, the subject of a pending court battle.

The prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Bannon willfully failed to comply with a subpoena seeking pertinent information.


SEE ALSO: Former NSC aide Matthew Pottinger to testify at House Jan. 6 committee hearing


Mr. Bannon’s legal team argued that Mr. Bannon did not ignore the subpoena and clearly communicated his reasoning to the committee behind his delay in turning over material in advance of the committee’s stated deadline laid out in the subpoena.

“It’s called negotiation,” Mr. Bannon’s attorney Evan Corcoran told the jury.

The defense also moved to dispel the perception of Mr. Bannon as an operative of Mr. Trump’s, but rather as someone who has dedicated his life to serving the country.

The defense also moved in opening statements to paint the Democratic-controlled committee as a partisan weapon being used to target political opponents.

“Politics is the lifeblood of the House of Representatives,” Mr. Corcoran said. “Politics affects every decision. It’s the currency of Congress.”

After both teams’ opening statements, the prosecution called Ms. Amerling as its witness for approximately one hour of questioning before adjourning for the day.

Ms. Amerling, who advised the committee on issuing Mr. Bannon his subpoena, testified to the urgency behind the committee’s subpoena. She told the jury that the committee had strict deadlines under which it sought information from witnesses.

Ms. Amerling also testified that the committee believed Mr. Bannon had multiple discussions with individuals leading up to the Capitol riot and played a role in Mr. Trump’s push to delay the certification of the November 2020 election.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols instructed the jury that Ms. Amerling’s statements concerning Mr. Bannon’s role leading up to the Capitol attack should not be taken as fact after the defense objected to the statements.

Judge Nichols placed the court in recess partway through Ms. Amerling’s testimony. She is expected to resume her testimony Wednesday.

Mr. Bannon, 68, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of contempt of Congress. He could spend up to two years behind bars if convicted on both counts.

Mr. Bannon, who hosts the news and opinion broadcast “War Room: Pandemic,” insists the charges against him are politically motivated.

His legal team requested a delay in his trial last month in light of the “media blitz” surrounding the House committee’s hearings in June and July to unpack findings from its nearly yearlong investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

The committee plans to hold its final hearing in the series with a prime-time TV event Thursday, which could overlap with Mr. Bannon’s trial.

Before the trial commenced, Mr. Corcoran said the fanfare infringes on his right to a fair trial unblemished by outside findings and presuppositions formed from the public hearings. Mr. Corcoran also said that several of the findings produced by the committee in the hearings specifically referenced Mr. Bannon and matters material to his case without allowing him to respond.

Of the dozens of potential jurors interviewed in the courtroom on Monday, roughly three said they were not aware of the House Jan. 6 committee. The jury pool included family and friends of Democratic staffers on Capitol Hill, scores of eager consumers of left-leaning news media, and at least one resident of the District of Columbia who said he already knew Mr. Bannon was guilty.

TAGGED:RSS
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Migrant chaos reaches East Coast as D.C., New York beg for help Migrant chaos reaches East Coast as D.C., New York beg for help
Next Article Netflix Loses Nearly 1 Million Subscribers, Vows Rebound Netflix Loses Nearly 1 Million Subscribers, Vows Rebound

Editor's Pick

Brooke Hogan Written Out of Hulk’s Will (At Her Personal Request)

Brooke Hogan Written Out of Hulk’s Will (At Her Personal Request)

Studying Time: 3 minutes Brooke Hogan isn’t in her dad’s will, a brand new report reveals. Regardless of years of…

By Editorial Board 4 Min Read
6 Greatest Underwear To Stop Chafing For Males in 2025 | Fashion
6 Greatest Underwear To Stop Chafing For Males in 2025 | Fashion

We independently consider all really helpful services. Any services or products put…

15 Min Read
9 Finest Males’s Shorts Manufacturers – Versatile Types For 2025 | Fashion
9 Finest Males’s Shorts Manufacturers – Versatile Types For 2025 | Fashion

We independently consider all advisable services. Any services or products put ahead…

13 Min Read

Oponion

Breaking Down the Avenue Model Look That’s Taking Over Tokyo | Fashion

Breaking Down the Avenue Model Look That’s Taking Over Tokyo | Fashion

We independently consider all really useful services. Any services or…

July 9, 2025

Travis Kelce Lets Slip Potential Taylor Swift Wedding ceremony Plans

Studying Time: 3 minutes Taylor Swift…

February 2, 2025

US commerce deficit hits document that will likely be a Trump goal

Stephen Miller, White Home deputy chief…

February 5, 2025

Predators eye cut price deal for struggling low cost retailer Poundland | Cash Information

The proprietor of Bensons for Beds…

April 17, 2025

Democrats need new leaders. Plus, what People consider right-wing extremism

Survey Says is a weekly sequence…

June 22, 2025

You Might Also Like

Best YTT Yoga School a Journey from Student to Teacher: Transformative Yoga Retreats in Asia
LifestyleTrending

Best YTT Yoga School a Journey from Student to Teacher: Transformative Yoga Retreats in Asia

In recent years, Bali has become a global epicenter for yoga education, attracting aspiring teachers and seekers from every corner…

7 Min Read
Inside the Blueprint: How a Ground-Breaking CCUS Review Is Shaping the Race to Net Zero
Trending

Inside the Blueprint: How a Ground-Breaking CCUS Review Is Shaping the Race to Net Zero

Author, Jean Chantel The 2024 review article “Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technologies: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Advanced CCUS…

6 Min Read
Debut Novel The Revenant’s Mark Blends Revolutionary War History with Dark Fantasy in a Haunting Tale of Resurrection and Reckoning
ArtsTrending

Debut Novel The Revenant’s Mark Blends Revolutionary War History with Dark Fantasy in a Haunting Tale of Resurrection and Reckoning

LITTLETON, CO — Wesley C. Martin, a former U.S. Marine turned award-winning screenwriter, isn’t new to stories of conflict—but his…

3 Min Read
GARI Emerges as a Global Leader in Research Mentorship and Scholarly InnovationAustin, Texas
LifestyleTrending

GARI Emerges as a Global Leader in Research Mentorship and Scholarly InnovationAustin, Texas

As global higher education continues to evolve toward inclusive research practices, interdisciplinary publishing, and capacity-building across borders, the Global Association…

4 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?