Federal judge dismisses Steve Bannon's request for a new trial after contempt of Congress conviction

Former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

• A judge dismissed Bannon's request for a new trial after his conviction of contempt of Congress.
• Judge Carl Nichols said Bannon's arguments for a new trial "do not demonstrate a serious miscarriage of justice."
• Bannon was convicted of defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 panel and is set to be sentenced on Oct. 21.

A federal judge on Friday dismissed former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon's request for a new trial. 

Bannon argued that there were faulty instructions given to the jury during his trial, including the omission of his defense theory. However, US District Judge Carl Nichols disagreed in his ruling. 

"Defendant's arguments relating to the jury instructions, while certainly well preserved, do not demonstrate a serious miscarriage of justice," Nichols wrote in his ruling.

A federal grand jury indicted Bannon last November on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a House subpoena from the committee probing the Capitol riot. The ex-Trump aide was convicted in July of contempt of Congress for ignoring that subpoena. 

Bannon had also asked the judge to dismiss the case because he was unable to force various lawmakers — including some on the January 6 panel — to testify during the trial proceedings.

He was called by the committee to speak about his knowledge of events on January 6, when the rioters breached the Capitol in an attempt to halt the Electoral College certification of now-President Joe Biden's 2020 victory.

"Defendant has not shown that the testimony from any member of the House of Representatives that he sought would be material," Nichols wrote, adding that "many of those questions would seek testimony concerning issues that the Court has previously held were irrelevant."

Bannon attempted to claim executive privilege related to January 6 matter and in July former President Donald Trump reportedly mulled over waiving Bannon's claim of executive privilege if his former aide could come to an agreement with the January 6 panel before he was convicted.

Now, Bannon is expected to be sentenced on October 21. He faces a minimum jail sentence of 30 days.