Steve Bannon, once a top advisor to former President Trump, started his prison sentence on Monday. This happened after the Supreme Court decided not to delay his punishment while he appeals his conviction. He was found guilty of ignoring a subpoena from the January 6 committee in 2022, which asked him to testify and provide documents. Bannon, now 70 years old, was sentenced to four months in jail. After many appeals, a judge told him to report to prison by July 1.
Before going to the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, Bannon talked to his supporters, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia.
“I am proud to go to prison,” Bannon declared. “If this is what it takes to stand up to tyranny; if this is what it takes to stand up to the Attorney General Merrick Garland’s corrupt DOJ; if this is what it takes to stand up to Nancy Pelosi; if this is what it takes to stand up to Joe Biden — I’m proud to do it.”
On Friday, the Supreme Court chose not to delay Bannon’s prison sentence, even though he had asked them to.
Bannon has said that the charges against him were politically motivated, aiming to hurt former President Trump.
“This is about shutting down the MAGA movement, shutting down grassroots conservatives, and shutting down President Trump,” he said after the judge’s order. “Not only are we winning, but we are also going to prevail, and every number and every poll shows that.”
Peter Navarro, another former Trump aide, is also in prison for ignoring a subpoena from the January 6 committee. Navarro started his four-month sentence on March 19.
Recently, top Republicans in the House announced a plan to support Bannon’s appeal. They intend to file a brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to help overturn his conviction. This brief aims to change some arguments made earlier about how the January 6 committee was organized when Democrats controlled the House.
By standing firm, Bannon and his supporters believe they are fighting for their political movement and against what they see as unfair treatment by the government.
