

The January 6 subcommittee has cited his comments on January 5, the day before the Capitol assault. In the debate ahead of the vote, Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who is one of only two Republicans on the committee and one of the eight Republicans who voted to hold him in contempt, said "Bannon's own public statements make clear he knew what was going to happen before it did." Holding individuals who refuse to comply with congressional subpoenas in contempt is the sole recourse available to Congress to protect its power of inquiry." Representative Peter Meijer, one of the nine Republicans who voted yes, tweeted after the vote, "There is no conceivable interpretation of exec privilege that applies to someone outside of gov't, conferring with senior gov't officials, on non-official matters. Attorney General Merrick Garland, appearing before the House Judiciary Committee earlier Thursday, said the Justice Department will "do what it always does in such circumstances- it will apply the facts and the law and make a decision consistent with the principles of prosecution." The matter now goes to the Justice Department. Nine Republicans joined Democrats to vote in favor of holding Bannon in contempt.

The House voted Thursday to hold top adviser to former President Trump Steve Bannon in criminal contempt after he defied a subpoena to appear and provide documents to the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
