And it's not even a good one, because the defendant forgot to tell the committee he would supply them with documents," Vaughn said. "That sudden decision to comply is nothing but a ploy. "The committee doesn't answer to former President Trump" - it's a different branch of government, she said.Īs for Bannon's recent "no harm, no foul" argument that he is now willing to testify publicly after Trump sent a letter saying he would waive executive privilege, Vaughn said, "That's not what the evidence in this case shows." "That's like saying the referee on a soccer field can't make calls on plays unless they go over to the baseball diamond next door and get the umpire's opinion first," Vaughn said. She then pushed back on the defense's argument that Bannon's noncompliance can't be "willful" because the committee didn't pursue other options or take the matter to a court, as if the committee "had some sort of obligation" to go to court and "get their permission," she said. ![]() 28, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, D.C. "It's a choice, it is contempt, and it is a crime." "This is not a mistake," Vaughn said of Bannon's actions. In this case, she said, the committee made the decision and has the authority to do so. They know they've been grounded, they can argue all they want it doesn't change the fact that the decision has been made," she said. "That is like a child continuing to argue with their parent after they've been grounded. She said Bannon did tell the committee he would not comply with the subpoena, but "that is not a negotiation." She said the committee repeatedly told Bannon that it rejected his claims and that he had to comply, but Bannon is now defending his actions by saying he had raised objections at the time. as clear as black and white" on paper, she said. "There were two witnesses because it's as simple as it seems. ![]() "You're not missing anything," Vaughn said. They want you to wonder, 'What am I missing?'" Prosecutor Amanda Vaughn began the rebuttal by telling the jury, "The defendant wants to make this hard, difficult, and confusing. The contempt case against Steve Bannon is now in the jury's hands, after the government finished its rebuttal to the defense's closing argument. Jul 22, 12:34 PM EDT Jury begins deliberations after government's rebuttal Link Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Email this article "Shame on this office of the United States Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice for how far it went in this case." "The overreaching by the government in this case has been extraordinary on every level," Schoen said. "That can't be the standard in a case, especially in a case that holds the potential for a jail sentence." "All had to prove was that he didn't show up," Schoen said. "It's not for Congress to decide that is not valid." "When a former president or a current president invokes executive privilege, it's presumptively valid," said Schoen. ![]() "They argued to the jury today that when a person gets a subpoena, and executive privilege is invoked, it's for Congress to decide whether the executive privilege is valid and how broad it is," said Schoen. Schoen also criticized the prosecution's argument regarding executive privilege. "You'll see this case reversed on appeal," Schoen said. "Have you ever in another case seen a judge six times in the case that he thinks the standard for willfulness is wrong?" "This is a bulletproof appeal," Schoen said. District Court in Washington, D.C., July 22, 2022.īannon's attorney David Schoen said that Bannon's defense team will appeal the case, saying, "This is just Round One." House Select Committee investigating the Jan. President Donald Trump's White House chief strategist Steve Bannon speaks to the media as he departs after he was found guilty during his trial on contempt of Congress charges for his refusal to cooperate with the U.S.
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