Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon isn't going to jail, for now

AP Photo/Nathan Howard

A judge has ordered a stay of former Trump advisor Steve Bannon’s prison sentence, pending appeal. For now, Bannon, who was sentenced to 120 days in jail for contempt of Congress for not complying with a subpoena from the January 6 committee, will not have to serve any time.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols on Tuesday ordered a stay of the sentence, finding that “Stephen K. Bannon, (a) is not likely to flee or pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community if released and (b) that his appeal is not taken for the purpose of delay but rather raises substantial question of law that is likely to result in a reversal or an order for a new trial.”

“Accordingly, it is ORDERED that the sentence in this case shall be STAYED pending Stephen K. Bannon’s appeal of his conviction,” the judge ruled, The Hill reported.

Bannon, who faced charges of contempt of Congress, allegedly refused to comply with a subpoena from the congressional committee in September last year. Congress hoped to uncover communications between Bannon and his former boss in the lead-up to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

The committee argues that Trump incited a riot and is looking into everyone he was in contact with, including close associates and family members.

Bannon refused to comply with the subpoena due to his belief that the former president invoked executive privilege, which protects his communications with Trump. The committee refused to grant the motion and found him in contempt of Congress in October 2021.

After he turned himself in to the FBI last November, Trump issued a letter stating that Bannon was free to testify. Bannon’s attorneys submitted the letter to show his willingness to comply with the committee’s demands, but the committee refused to withdraw its charges against him.