Точка Синхронізації

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a formal request in a Washington federal court on Monday to dismiss the criminal contempt of Congress case against former White House strategist Steve Bannon following a preemptive pardon issued by President Donald Trump. Prosecutors moved to drop the charges because the executive clemency powers granted by the president effectively nullified the legal pursuit of Bannon, who had been convicted for refusing to comply with subpoenas from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. Bannon was originally sentenced to four months in prison after a jury found him guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress for his defiance of the legislative inquiry. He had argued that his communications with the former president were protected by executive privilege, a claim that was rejected by the courts during his trial. The DOJ’s recent filing marks a significant pivot as the administration transitions, reflecting the immediate impact of presidential pardons on high-profile political legal battles. The dismissal request comes amid a broader atmosphere of legal recalibration in Washington as the Justice Department addresses several cases involving associates of the former president. While Bannon has already served his four-month prison term, the formal dismissal of the case prevents further legal repercussions and clears his record of these specific federal charges. This move underscores the finality of the executive pardon process, even in instances where a defendant has already undergone trial and served their mandated sentence. Legal experts suggest that while the DOJ is following standard procedure by moving to dismiss a pardoned case, the timing highlights the intersection of judicial proceedings and executive authority. By clearing the docket of the Bannon case, the Department is effectively closing one of the most contentious chapters regarding the investigation into the events of January 6. Bannon, for his part, has maintained that the prosecution was politically motivated, a narrative he continues to promote following the news of the dismissal.