Fox News Analyst Roasts Bannon’s Failed Attempt to Defy Congress: ‘He Did Not Have a Viable Defense’
After former Senior Trump Adviser Steve Bannon was found guilty on two counts of contempt of Congress, Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley told America Reports that it was a predictable outcome of Bannon’s lack of defense.
On Friday afternoon, Bannon was convicted on both counts for refusing to comply with a subpoena issued by the January 6th select committee. Bannon was charged with the two counts in November, one for willful failure to appear for testimony and the other for willful failure to provide records.
When asked for his reaction to the conviction by anchor Sandra Smith, Turley said that this was “one of the most predictable convictions I’ve seen in my career as a legal analyst.”
The George Washington law professor argued that the simple reason was that Bannon “didn’t put on a defense.”
“He didn’t show up to Congress,” Turley continued. “He didn’t present any witnesses.”
“Now he’s going to go on appeal — presumably he’ll have more to say there.”
The Fox News contributor shredded Bannon further, saying “he did not have a viable defense,” explaining that Bannon “was not a government official” and therefore could not “even make a substantial claim of privilege.”
Earlier this month, the judge presiding over Bannon’s trial passed down a ruling limiting which viable defense arguments could be used in court. This left Bannon with minimal options to present a solid defense on his behalf.
Turley argued that Bannon approached the subpoena in the wrong way, saying that he could have asserted his Fifth Amendment rights rather than defying it completely.
“You can always take your Fifth Amendment protection, the privilege against self-incrimination, plenty of witnesses do that, but you should show up,” stated Turley, “He decided basically that he would thumb his nose at Congress and go his own way. Well, you can’t.”
Recent reporting from the New York Times claimed that Bannon had agreed to testify, just one week prior to the start of his trial. Letters obtained by the Times showed that Bannon had reversed course and now wanted to testify live in front of the January 6th House select committee.
Turley noted that Bannon would likely not “receive much if any, jail time,” adding that the “minimum is 30 days.”
Bannon’s sentencing date has been set for October 21st.
Watch above via Fox News
