“He may well want to testify, after all”comments USA Today with a hint of irony. Through the voice of his lawyers, Steve Bannon, “a close ally of former President Donald Trump”precise CBS Newstold the Congressional Commission of Inquiry on January 6, 2021 this weekend that he finally agreed to be heard by its members.
The reversal is both ” outstanding “ et « abrupt »explains the New York Times. “For months, Mr. Bannon was perhaps the most bombastic and outspoken witness the commission contacted. He refused to hand over any documents or sit down for a second of testimony.”, continues the daily. To the point that, can we read on the site Politico, “it is not certain that the panel considers that its offer is serious”.
Why did you change your mind? Partly because Donald Trump gave him “his blessing” report it Huffington Post. The former American president had invoked his “executive privilege” theoretically protecting him from any subpoena. But ” the last days “he was “increasingly frustrated” by a commission too biased in his eyes with seven Democrats and two Republicans, indicates USA Today.
M. Trump “decided that it would be in the best interests of the American people to waive their executive privilege”, noted one of Steve Bannon’s lawyers in a letter to the commission. Maybe also that “the possibility of two years in prison and large fines looming on the horizon” may have played in his about-face, suggests the New York Times. He was charged in November with contempt after ignoring his subpoenas. Neither the House of Representatives nor the federal prosecutors believe that the executive privilege invoked by his former boss “give carte blanche” not to testify, insist CNN. His trial is due to start on July 18.
Does he really want to cooperate?
Steve Bannon has been central to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. But “he only stayed seven months in the White House in 2017”remember NBC. He has since become a media personality, a far-right columnist. He did, however, the commission thinks, weigh in on the events of January 6. Investigators are interested, for example, in a telephone conversation with Mr. Trump on December 30, 2020. “Commission members see Bannon as a key figure because they believe his podcasts have helped radicalize Trump supporters”raise it Washington Post.
The newspaper points out that the podcast was removed from YouTube after the uprising but is still “one of the country’s most popular shows on Apple’s platform with over 200 million downloads”. In this podcast, Mr. Bannon notably said on January 5, 2021 when speaking of the rally in Washington of supporters of a stolen election: “It’s not going to turn out the way you think it will. It’s going to be extraordinarily different. Many people say they would go to Washington if there was a revolution. Well, now is your time”.
Le New York Post warns, however, that“it is not clear how much Bannon intends to cooperate”. Le Washington Post wondering if it’s not a « ruse » to delay his trial. Or will he plead for the Fifth Amendment, i.e. the right against self-incrimination, as did Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser? His team could also demand that the testimony take place only live on television. Until now, the commission has always heard witnesses first in a private, filmed session.