Steve Bannon, a former Trump aide, to testify before the January 6 House Oversight Committee

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Washington D.C
Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

The Associated Press reported on Sunday that Steve Bannon, a former White House strategist and ally of former President Donald Trump, has informed the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots that he is now willing to testify.

According to legislators, Bannon's about-face was communicated in a letter from his counsel late Saturday night, as the committee prepared to unveil some of its most shocking accusations against Trump this week in what may be its final series of hearings.

According to the Associated Press, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) remarked, "I anticipate hearing from him, and we have many questions for him."

In television interviews on Sunday, she and other committee members stated that they intend to undertake a private consultation with Bannon, which they generally conduct as a sworn deposition.

Bannon is one of several Trump allies who initially declined to appear before the committee in response to subpoenas. As a result, the House of Representatives of the United States decided in October to hold Bannon in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with the subpoena.

He has contended that Trump's claim of executive privilege protects his testimony. The committee argues that such a claim is implausible because Trump ousted Bannon from the White House in 2017 and that Bannon was a private individual when he consulted with the president before the January 6 incident.

Thursday evening's committee hearing will explore the three-plus-hour period during which Trump refused to act as a crowd of supporters rushed the Capitol. It will be the first prime-time hearing since the June 9 premiere, viewed by 20 million individuals.

Tuesday's hearing will focus on the plotting and preparation of the insurrection by white nationalist groups such as the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and the Three Percenters. It will also emphasize former White House attorney Pat Cipollone's evidence from Friday.

The House committee has also sent subpoenas to Trump's former attorneys, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, and Sidney Powell.

In addition to Bannon, Mark Meadows, Peter Navarro, and Daniel Scavino have been held in contempt of Congress for refusing to attend before the January 6 committee.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) suggested on Sunday that Bannon "had a change of heart, and after presumably watching all of these people come forward, including Cassidy Hutchinson, he's decided he wants to come in, and if he wants to come in, I'm sure the committee would be very interested in hearing from him."

July 18 is the date of Bannon's trial on the two felony counts. Monday was slated for a hearing in his case in federal court in Washington. Bannon has requested that his trial be delayed until at least the fall.

Publish : 2022-07-11 08:49:00

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