What to know about Steve Bannon's sentencing hearing:
- Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was sentenced to 4 months behind bars and a $6,500 fine in D.C. federal court Friday
- The judge will allow Bannon to appeal before serving that sentence
- Bannon was convicted in July on two contempt of Congress charges for ignoring subpoenas from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot
- Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Bannon to 6 months in jail with a $200,000 fine.
- Bannon is also facing trial in New York for allegedly defrauding donors in the "We Build The Wall" effort.
MAGA world standing with Bannon
As the judge prepared to hand down Bannon's sentence, some notable figures in MAGA world took to social media to show their support for the former Trump strategist.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Judicial Watch head Tom Fitton, right-wing activist Jack Posobiec and former New York City police commissioner and Trump pardon recipient Bernie Kerik all took to Twitter to post "I stand with Steve Bannon."
Judge will allow Bannon to appeal before serving sentence
Nichols said that if Bannon files a timely appeal, he will issue an order suspending the prison sentence until the appeals process plays out.
Steve Bannon sentenced to four months
Bannon was sentenced to four months in federal prison along with a $6,500 fine.
Judge says 'others must be deterred from committing similar crimes'
Nichols said that while Bannon poses a "very small risk of recidivism with regard to congressional subpoenas," there was a need to remind the public to cooperate with congressional investigations.
"Others must be deterred from committing similar crimes," Nichols said.
Nichols says Jan. 6 committee had good reason to investigate Jan. 6
Nichols is preparing to impose Bannon's sentence, reiterating the seriousness of the attack on the U.S. Capitol and the need of Congress to investigate it.
“Mr. Bannon has not produced a single document," Nichols said. He noted Bannon had not been employed in the executive branch for several years and so was unlikely to possess information that would be covered by executive privilege.
"Mr. Bannon did not completely ignore the fact that he had received a subpoena," and while his lawyer's advice may have been overly aggressive, he did appear to be following his lawyer's advice, the judge said.
Nichols also credited Bannon's time in the U.S. Navy.
Busy day in D.C. courts
Nichols back on the bench to impose Bannon's sentence
Nichols just returned to the bench to impose Bannon's sentence on his conviction on two counts of contempt of Congress.
No comments from Bannon
Bannon declined to make a comment before the judge imposes his sentence, saying his lawyers had spoken for him.
The court recessed around 10:30 ET. Nichols will return to the bench shortly after to impose the sentence.
Bannon lawyer says Bannon didn't say 'Screw you, Congress'
Schoen told Nichols that Bannon didn't say "Screw you Congress, take your subpoena and shove it!," but just followed what he believed was an invocation of executive privilege by the former president.
Bannon did, however, actually say "suck on it" on his podcast following his conviction.
Judge questions DOJ on Jan. 6 committee's subpoena
Nichols questioned Cooney on why the Jan. 6 committee didn’t go to court to get an order requiring Bannon to comply with the subpoena, a solution proposed by Bannon.
“The fact that there was at least one tool in the committee’s arsenal that it didn’t invoke, why isn’t that relevant?” Nichols asked.
Cooney said that isn’t relevant in this case because the criminal contempt of Congress statute is intended to punish noncompliance, not to compel compliance.
"He had no interest in genuine compliance,” Cooney said. "He had an interest in making a public spectacle of the committee’s hearings."
All we’re asking for is for Bannon to be "treated like every other citizen," Cooney said.