Former Trump Advisor Steve Bannon Asks Supreme Court To Delay Prison Sentence

Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon asked the Supreme Court Friday to delay his prison sentence.

A federal judge ordered Bannon to report to prison by July 1. Thursday night, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected 2-1 his bid to postpone the four-month sentence while he appeals his conviction for contempt of Congress.

“If Mr. Bannon is not granted continued release pending further appeal, he would likely be forced to serve his entire sentence before this Court could consider the important issues raised in his case, because his sentence would run during the Summer and Fall of 2024, during the Summer recess,” his attorneys told the Supreme Court in the emergency application Friday.

In May, the D.C. Circuit Court of appeals upheld Bannon’s conviction. Bannon’s attorneys have indicted they intend to appeal this ruling for an en banc rehearing or to the Supreme Court.

“There is also no denying the fact that the government seeks to imprison Mr. Bannon for the four-month period immediately preceding the November presidential election,” they continued. “There is no reason for that outcome in a case that presents substantial legal issues.”

Bannon’s attorneys noted the last time a jury convicted anyone on contempt of Congress charges was “fifty years ago,” making prosecutions “exceedingly rare.” They also said the Court should “be mindful of the government’s own conduct when it comes to congressional subpoenas.”

“Congress recently issued subpoenas to DOJ regarding Hunter Biden, yet DOJ instructed its Tax Division lawyers to refuse to comply,” his attorneys wrote. “‘Jail for thee, not for me’ is hardly an acceptable position for the government.”

The Supreme Court requested the government’s response to Bannon’s application by Wednesday at 4 p.m.