Steve Bannon’s request for new trial rejected by federal judge meaning he will be sentenced

Steve Bannon’s request for a new trial in his Contempt of Congress case has been rejected by a federal judge and he now faces prison when sentenced next month.

Bannon, Donald Trump’s former White House adviser, was convicted for defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

Lawyers for Bannon had raised a string of issues, including the judge’s jury instructions, saying they merited a fresh trial.

But the arguments failed to change the trial judge’s mind.

“Defendant’s arguments relating to the jury instructions, while certainly well preserved, do not demonstrate a serious miscarriage of justice,” US District Judge Carl Nichols wrote in his ruling, which was released on Friday.

Bannon also asked the judge to dismiss the case against him, arguing that he was not allowed to call members of the select committee to testify in court.

“Defendant has not shown that the testimony from any member of the House of Representatives that he sought would be material,” Judge Nichols wrote.

After he was convicted, Bannon thanked both the judge and jurors for their service but accused members of the House Select Committee of putting him through what he claimed was a “show trial.”

Bannon faces a minimum prison sentence of 30 days when he is sentenced on 21 October.