Точка Синхронізації

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a formal request in a Washington, D.C. 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. This legal maneuver aims to terminate the proceedings against the long-time Trump ally, who had recently completed a four-month prison sentence for his refusal to testify or provide documents to the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The motion follows a sweeping executive clemency order that covers any federal offenses Bannon may have committed between 2021 and 2025. While Bannon has already served his custodial sentence for two counts of contempt of Congress, the case remained technically open as he was in the process of appealing his conviction to the Supreme Court. Prosecutors from the DOJ noted that the presidential pardon effectively renders the ongoing legal dispute moot, as the executive order grants Bannon full and unconditional immunity from the charges he was convicted of in 2022. By requesting a dismissal with prejudice, the government is ensuring that the case cannot be refiled or pursued further in the federal system. The context of this dismissal is part of a broader wave of pardons issued by the outgoing administration, targeting several individuals involved in the events or investigations surrounding the transition of power four years ago. Bannon had initially argued that he was barred from testifying due to executive privilege, a defense that was rejected by the trial court but formed the basis of his lengthy appeal process. With this latest DOJ filing, the legal battle over his non-compliance with the House subpoena reaches a definitive conclusion, though Bannon continues to face separate state-level legal challenges in New York regarding an unrelated border wall fundraising scheme.