Washington, D.C. – Today Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) voted in a Rules Committee hearing in favor of advancing a resolution recommending the House find Stephen K. Bannon in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with a subpoena duly issued by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol:
Ross said in her remarks to Select Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY), “This meeting is about holding people accountable to our nation's laws and to our Constitution. Former White House Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon, as we know, has refused to comply with your duly issued subpoena. He refused to come voluntarily. His claim of executive privilege now, as we know, is flimsy at best.
“He has been a private citizen since mid-2017, having served his last executive branch duties in the immediate wake of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. His communications with former President Trump in the lead up to the January 6th attack on our democracy can hardly be considered part of any presidential official duties. Everyone must play by the rules. And Bannon has already made his fair share of trips to the well. He's already been pardoned for a series of crimes defrauding the people of the United States of America. Not this time.”
Full video of her remarks can be found here.
Reports indicate that Bannon – a former Trump Administration official who left his role in the White House in August 2017 – has information relevant to the Select Committee’s investigation. Bannon, through letters from his attorney, indicated that he would not comply with the Select Committee’s duly issued subpoena. The deadlines to produce documents and to appear for a deposition have passed without Bannon’s compliance.
The resolution passed out of the committee and will head to the House floor for consideration.
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