The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to dismiss the criminal case against Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, who was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. In a filing on Monday, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro stated that the dismissal is “in the interests of justice,” and noted that Bannon does not oppose the motion.
Bannon was convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress after he declined to testify or provide documents to the House select committee. He served a four-month prison sentence in 2024. The committee had sought information regarding Bannon’s comments made on January 5, 2021, when he stated on his radio show that “all hell is going to break loose tomorrow.” Bannon had argued that his communications were protected by executive privilege, a claim the committee disputed.
In a separate filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer requested that the Supreme Court vacate the appellate ruling upholding Bannon’s conviction and remand the case to the district court. This move aligns with the Justice Department’s recent efforts to reverse legal actions taken against individuals connected to the January 6 events. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche commented that the department aims to “undo the prior administration’s weaponization of the justice system.”
This development follows a pattern of the current administration reevaluating cases related to the January 6 investigation. Notably, former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who also served a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress, has seen the Justice Department withdraw its defense of his conviction, indicating a broader shift in prosecutorial priorities.
The motion to dismiss Bannon’s case is pending approval by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. If granted, it would prevent the government from refiling the charges, effectively nullifying Bannon’s conviction and sentence.