The Justice Department is moving to dismiss the criminal contempt case against Steve Bannon and to permanently close it. The department is also asking the Supreme Court to vacate the ruling that upheld his conviction and send the case back to be dismissed.
In a filing to a federal judge in Washington on Monday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the government has decided that dropping the case is “in the interests of justice.” The motion seeks dismissal with prejudice, meaning the case could never be brought again. It also notes that Bannon doesn’t oppose the move.
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The case against Bannon
Bannon, a prominent Trump ally, was convicted in 2022 after refusing to testify or produce documents for the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He served four months in federal prison in 2024.
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In 2020, Bannon was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering tied to a fundraising campaign for a border wall. He was pardoned by President Trump in 2021.
Although he completed his sentence, Bannon’s conviction has remained intact while his appeal sat before the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Justice Department asked the justices to vacate the appellate ruling that affirmed his conviction and return the case to the district court.
If the Supreme Court grants that request — and the trial judge approves the dismissal — Bannon’s conviction would be wiped from the record and his appeal would end.
Bannon has argued that he did not willfully defy Congress and acted on legal advice related to executive privilege. The Justice Department’s filings Monday don’t address those arguments, instead they ask to terminate the case outright.
Renewed scrutiny
The move comes as Bannon faces renewed scrutiny following the recent release of Justice Department records tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, which have highlighted his past association with Epstein.
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It also comes during a broader fight over congressional subpoenas. House Republicans recently moved toward holding Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt in an Epstein-related inquiry before the Clintons agreed to provide testimony. Their separate testimonies are expected later this month.
