JUST IN: Judge sets July 18 trial date in criminal contempt case against Steve Bannon

[demmiblue]

Link to tweet

[CrispyQ]

1. No fucking words.

[Ohioboy]

2. WTF

We have an attempted coup take place and we can't even investigate it properly. What the hell is wrong with this country?

[Ray Bruns]

3. Why the hell does it take seven months to try

a simple contempt of congress charge. What the hell is there to discover in seven months that a month couldn't cover?

Such BS.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Perhaps the committee can sue for expedited hearing. . . . nt

[FBaggins]

31. How? They aren't a party

If they had asked a court to enforce the subpoena, then they would have a seat at the table for this discussion. But they didn't do that. They asked for criminal charges.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

46. Well, perhaps me & most of the posters are upset over nothing? Why criminal charges and not

... enforcement of the subpoena?

Presumably enforcement of the subpoena is still an option?

[RussBLib]

4. that saying: justice delayed is justice denied

it far too often takes far too long for issues to get to court in this country.

do we need more judges?
more district courts?
more prosecutors?

I understand being thorough, but geez....

[SoCalDavidS]

5. LOL!!

When's TFG getting arrested?

[applegrove]

6. Prosecutors Need Just One Day for Bannon Case

Prosecutors Need Just One Day for Bannon Case

December 7, 2021 at 12:10 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 4 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2021/12/07/prosecutors-need-just-one-day-for-case-against-bannon/https://politicalwire.com/2021/12/07/prosecutors-need-just-one-day-for-case-against-bannon/

"SNIP......

“Federal prosecutors told a judge that they could present their case against Steve Bannon to a jury in a single day, pushing back on the former White House strategist’s efforts to delay his criminal trial over his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena,” The Hill reports.

......SNIP"

[Kota]

7. This is probably why meadows decided not to cooperate. He must have had a heads up.

[FBaggins]

8. Not really surprised

DOJ had asked for an accelerated timeline that would have still been out in April - while Bannon requested a mid-October date.

This splits the difference.

[Mr.Bill]

18. That's all well and good,

but judges have no obligation to split the difference with criminals.

[FBaggins]

20. They also have no obligation to make things politically convenient.

There's nothing unusual about the timeline for a misdemeanor and not trying to compel testimony. We want it to go fast, but there isn't a legal reason to do so.

[Initech]

9. Prosecute him now! Tomorrow may be too late!

[marie999]

54. It is a misdemeanor; it is not unusual to take 6 months or more for a trial.

[Botany]

10. Over 1/2 a year? / Fucking Trump Judge.

I hope the DoJ gets to him before next July.

Fucking Trump Judge.

Carl J. Nichols is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. On June 18, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Nichols to a seat on this court.[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Nichols on May 22, 2019, on a vote of 55-43.[2] He received commission on June 25, 2019

https://ballotpedia.org/Carl_Nichols

McConnell was thrilled with Trump and w because they could pack the courts with people from the Heritage Institute and
the Judicial Crisis Network. Minority controls the majority.

[They_Live]

17. Judge should recuse himself

or forcibly removed from making any decisions in this case.

[Botany]

22. He needs to be put on trial for more than just a misdemeanor contempt charge

1/5/21 He knew about the coming violence and attempted coup and bragged about it.

Bannon also worked for and with Cambridge Analytica which was the focus point in bathing
people in Russian produced disinformation via Facebook aka Hillary emails and email server
in 2016.

[BigmanPigman]

30. I knew it! A tRump judge, what a surprise.

[KS Toronado]

40. Was my first thought also that it was a _rump appointed judge

Can Merrick Garland do anything to shorten the timeline?

[BigmanPigman]

59. Beats me.

There could be a difference between "can he" do it and "will he" do it. The opinions of MG are all over the place, especially on DU.

[Botany]

42. Put it out to July '22 and then find away to delay until after the election and then let the ...

.... Bannon walk after one more dirty election.

[AmBlue]

11. WTAF!!

We are being played. This is bullsh*t and I am sick of it.

[TexasTowelie]

12. Since Bannon backed the vigilante efforts on January 6

I wouldn't have any qualms seeing vigilante justice occur in light of this delay.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. DO NOT GO THERE. Do not advocate violence or murder or kidnapping

It's not about optics.

Your "Fuck the optics" is an attack on everything Democrats, the Democratic Party, and progressives stand for. Destroy that the way you are advocating and then have created the authoritarian or anarchistic catastrophe we are working to avoid.

[msfiddlestix]

14. Ted Lieu is SPOT ON.

Of course he's just a peon, like the rest of us with totally no legal background, therefore no knowledge on how this system is supposed to work.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. This is unacceptable given the gravity of the situation and this is tRump/Bannon plan. . . nt

[Alexander Of Assyria]

45. 7 months to trial from arraignment is warp speed in some places for non-custody trials.

[GoodRaisin]

21. This is why I no longer pay any attention to the "he's going to jail"

shit for these corrupt RW assholes. Because they never do, and neither will he.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

34. Because ALL not going to jail NOW this very minute...give up?? Ok.

[GoodRaisin]

48. This minute isn't the issue.

The trend is the issue. “Somebody’s going to jail” isn’t worth getting excited over when nobody ever goes. I don’t even have to start rattling off the names and this isn’t going to end any differently.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

49. Its not the stock market so trends don't matter.

[GoodRaisin]

61. Huh?

The stock market?

[NightWatcher]

23. trump will pardon him again before anything is ever done to him. again.

[Fullduplexxx]

24. Lol

The date is probably because he's busy building a case against trump

[gratuitous]

25. Like a lot of things, the courts got backed up by the pandemic, too

There have been a LOT of cases on the dockets across the country that were originally scheduled in 2020 that haven't been rescheduled. A July trial date is pretty speedy, in my experience. Judges have been taking a dim view of motions for continuance or postponement, so July could be a solid setting.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

65. Yes, sir. Facts block outrage, so must be suppressed! Not to mention top lawyers are busy.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

26. Enjoy the food

[dajoki]

27. That is intolerable...

the committee needs to use inherent contempt and put that criminal in jail until he cooperates fully. Then he can be indicted for all of his other crimes.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

41. Every defendant is treated equal under law. How would it look if trial date was next Tuesday

when every other defendant in the district has average one year wait to trial date because of normal backlog of trial courts?

[Tribetime]

50. he's not like every other defendant he tried to overthrow the government

He must have a speedy trial for democracy will be dead next year

[marie999]

53. He is not being tried for trying to overthrow the government.

[patphil]

28. 7 month delay on a simple contempt of Congress charge is 6 months too long.

I'll bet the defense lawyers find a way to stretch it out past the mid-term election, hoping to have the charges dropped.

[FBaggins]

47. A simple contempt of Congress charge?

So what the quickest conviction for that charge that you can cite?

[patphil]

51. Can't cite, but it's really quite simple.

He was issued a subpoena. He didn't show. He was held in contempt.
What needs to be discovered or prepared that legitimately requires that much time?
Answer: nothing!
Seven months is ridiculous.

[FBaggins]

52. Not at all simple

There are at least three clear lines of defense that must be overcome in order to convict - none of which will be quick (multiple appeals)

What needs to be discovered or prepared that legitimately requires that much time?

There’s a reason that you can’t cite. If he’s convicted in mid July, it will tie for the fastest such conviction in fifty years… with most never convicted.

[patphil]

57. I don't think appeals are the question here. I'm talking about the initial trial.

And, past court performance is irrelevant. I don't see why we have to honor the slow action of previous cases.
Can you give me the three lines of defense you refer to, and why it would take so long to deal with them?

[FBaggins]

58. Appeals don't just occur after the initial trial

All three of the primary arguments that I expect are highly unlikely to be finally adjudicated by a district judge. And they aren't likely to be heard together. The appeals could easily take past the election.

The first three that come to mind are the executive privilege claim. It's a pretty weak claim (IMO) but the judge will have a briefing schedule and his ruling will get appealed (and the appellate court will almost certainly take the case and spend more time considering it than we want). Heck... it's a Trump judge. He might actually grant the motion to dismiss on those grounds and we'll be the ones appealing.

The second is the challenge to Congress' process (both from a legitimacy standpoint and on a lack of due process). That, too, will likely involve a higher court.

The third is an abuse of prosecutorial discretion. I was teasing a bit with the 50-year history comment. Most contempt of congress charges fail to gain a conviction because the DOJ hardly ever prosecutes them. That nine month average is easy to calculate because it's the only conviction during that period. The last Democratic administration received multiple contempt referrals from Congress and never even prosecuted.


I don't see why we have to honor the slow action of previous cases

I'm not arguing that it's a precedent that needs to be honored. Though it isn't "we" involved here... it's the judge. "We" would have to convince him that there's a reason to accelerate beyond what it normal. I'm just using it as evidence that there's nothing odd about the timeline.

[patphil]

62. The things you cite are not my concern here.

On November 13th a Grand Jury determined there was enough evidence to proceed to trial.

My comments are about the 8 month delay in starting the process. I personally, without any judicial experience, or understanding of the intricacies of the law, feel that it's a ridiculous amount of time to just give to the defendant in a case that can, and should, start much sooner. After all, this case involves a serious attempt to overturn the Republic.
There is a national security concern here that needs to be considered.

Besides, all of the things you cite can be argued independent of the trial date.
So,lets set a more reasonable date and get the ball rolling.
It's irrelevant to me if Bannon's attorneys appeal. I am sure they will. It's the dead time of 8 months that I don't feel is appropriate. All of the legal shenanigans will wait until just before the trial anyway. So, why not force the defense to get it on a whole lot earlier?
And, by the way, it's obvious why such a late date is being set. You and I both know the real reason is to assure that the trial doesn't start until after the 2022 election.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

63. Well said, sir. History is a great teacher of what is normal and what is not

I for one am delighted Bannon stays front page for another 7 months and then the trial news goes nuclear during the midterm campaign.

I believe the electorate will vote for democracy when the lines are clearly drawn…and the corporate media stops believing that fascism has a chance and stops hedging their bets.

[ancianita]

29. Makes the court look complicit in successful sedition and the overturn of democracy.

[moondust]

32. Politics.

This judge appears to be aiding and abetting their "run out the clock" scam.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

38. How? 7 months from trial arraignment to trial? Connect the dots for me.

[moondust]

43. Simple case.

Does not require extensive investigation/fact-finding or building a complex case. As others have noted above, could happen next week.

“Federal prosecutors told a judge that they could present their case against Steve Bannon to a jury in a single day..."

[Alexander Of Assyria]

44. Defence will want to present a case I would imagine? Simple for prosecution, on day for them.

How many days for defence, arguments…decision by judge?

So how is 7 months from trial arraignment to trial date start for multi day trial with complex and novel constitutional issues such a big deal?

[3catwoman3]

33. How about January 18th?

This is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

64. Yes, let's schedule trials around prominent political dates so the trials look more

political…wonder what Fox and Bannon would do with that kinda of gift?

[3catwoman3]

67. If I have inadvertently been insensitive to an important historical date, I...

…apologize.

Please enlighten me.

[CaptainTruth]

35. Remember how long it took for Bush & Cheney to be charged with war crimes?

Oh... Wait... Never mind...

[spanone]

36. Mission Accomplished

[Alexander Of Assyria]

37. Not unusual. Equal justice for all means equal trial scheduling like all other cases.

7 months from trial arraignment to trial date is warp speed in many places…other than Internet Court.

[Silent3]

39. Anyone who was told they needed to eat crow when the contempt charges were filed...

...gets to puke it back up and feed it to anyone who told us to trust the system.

[marie999]

55. It is a misdemeanor. No judge is going to put it first ahead of all the other cases they have.

6-8 months is normal. He is not charged with trying to overthrow the government.

[Takket]

56. ok. this is when i give up hope drumpf or anyone else is ever going to prison

This is absurd.......... 7 months for a contempt charge? I don't care what normal is. If that is normal than normal needs to be changed.

By the time this resolves, and he's found guilty, if he even is, and we go through all the appeals, geez, it is going to be 2024 before we can even put a case together against drumpf and by then he'll have already pulled off his coup and he'll just pardon everyone the commission has been looking at.

Our democracy is crumbling to pieces and Congress can't even get a freaking witness to show up within a year of them being called.

Delay, appeal, delay, excuses, diversions... they are perverting the court system and we're just rolling over and letting them make a mockery of it.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

66. Disagree entirely. Stay calm, carry on...can't use the sword until the scale

tips to conviction, cause can’t see the throat, but then the blindfold is removed.

[UTUSN]

60. K&R

[LetMyPeopleVote]

68. DOJ urges judge to reject Steve Bannon's effort to delay his July 18 criminal trial.

Link to tweet