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July 01, 2024 – 9:22 p.m.
(Keystone-ATS) Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon reported to a federal prison in the northeastern United States on Monday. He will begin serving his sentence for obstructing the congressional investigation into the storming of the Capitol, an AFP photographer observed.
“I am proud to go to prison today (…) if that is what it takes to stand up to Joe Biden,” said this populist ideologue, an influential figure in the ultra-conservative movement, before entering the Danbury prison (State of Connecticut), describing himself as “a political prisoner.”
Steve Bannon, 70, must now serve four months behind bars after a judge rejected a suspension of his sentence following one of his appeals.
Support from supporters
Wearing gray pants and a black shirt, he was greeted outside the prison building by a small crowd of supporters with “Trump 2024” flags and by one of the most fierce Trump supporters in Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who hugged him in front of the cameras.
Although he no longer officially works for the Republican candidate, Steve Bannon again assured him of his support on Monday and promised that he would use all his influence to promote his re-election, notably via his podcast “War Room”, which will continue without him.
Refusal to cooperate
Before arriving at Danbury prison, he spoke on his show to congratulate himself on the results of the first round of early legislative elections in France, marked by the clear victory of the extreme right, and on the other good results of this movement in other countries during the European elections: “our movement is living its moment,” he rejoiced.
Steve Bannon was sentenced in October 2022 to four months in prison for obstructing the investigative powers of Congress due to his refusal to cooperate with the congressional inquiry into the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, a sentence upheld on appeal on May 10, 2024.
The day before January 6, Steve Bannon predicted that “all hell” would break loose. And on the day that hundreds of Donald Trump supporters stormed the seat of the US Congress, in an attempt to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the November 2020 election, Steve Bannon spoke on the phone with the outgoing president. The parliamentarians wanted to question him about his role.
Trial postponed
His entry into prison comes on the day that the conservative-majority US Supreme Court again delayed Donald Trump’s federal trial over his alleged attempts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Another former Trump White House adviser, Peter Navarro, is already serving a four-month sentence for refusing to respond to a congressional subpoena in the investigation into the Capitol assault.
