Bannon won't comply with subpoena from House Jan. 6 panel

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WASHINGTON – A lawyer for Steve Bannon says the erstwhile White House adjutant won't comply with a House committee's probe into the Jan. 6 insurrection astatine the Capitol due to the fact that erstwhile President Donald Trump is asserting enforcement privilege to artifact demands for grounds and documents.

Two different witnesses subpoenaed by the panel, erstwhile White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and erstwhile Pentagon adjutant Kash Patel, are “engaging” with the committee, according to its Democratic chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, and Republican vice chairwoman, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Thompson and Cheney issued a connection Friday aft a deadline for papers accumulation had passed.

“Though the Select Committee welcomes bully religion engagement with witnesses seeking to cooperate with our investigation, we volition not let immoderate witnesser to defy a lawful subpoena oregon effort to tally retired the clock, and we volition swiftly see advancing a transgression contempt of Congress referral," the 2 lawmakers said.

A spokesperson for the sheet declined to remark connected the presumption of a 4th witness, erstwhile Trump communications adjutant Dan Scavino.

Bannon's determination sets the signifier for a apt clash with House Democrats who are investigating the roles of Trump and his allies successful the run-up to the riot, erstwhile a ample mob of Trump supporters broke into the Capitol arsenic Congress was certifying the results of the statesmanlike predetermination won by Democrat Joe Biden. The committee is rapidly issuing subpoenas to individuals who are either connected to Trump oregon who helped program the monolithic rally connected the greeting of Jan. 6 astatine which helium told his supporters to “fight similar hell.”

Bannon’s refusal to comply, and Trump’s vow to litigate the testimony, volition mean definite delays successful the panel's probe. But members of the committee, respective of whom worked arsenic prosecutors connected Trump's 2 impeachments, were prepared for the anticipation and person repeatedly threatened charging witnesses with contempt. Trump often successfully fought witnesser grounds during his presidency, but whitethorn find his ineligible lasting shakier present that helium is retired of office.

A committee effort to complaint witnesses with contempt would apt impact a ballot of the afloat House and a referral to the Justice Department. It would past beryllium up to Justice however to proceed with charges.

Bannon's lawyer, Robert Costello, said successful an Oct. 7 missive to the sheet that until the issues implicit privilege are resolved, “we are incapable to respond to your requests for documents and testimony.”

Costello wrote that Bannon, a erstwhile adjutant to Trump who had interaction with him the week of the Capitol attack, is prepared to “comply with the directions of the courts" erstwhile and if they regularisation connected the issue.

The missive includes excerpts from a abstracted missive sent to Bannon by Justin Clark, a lawyer for Trump. Clark says documents and grounds provided to the Jan. 6 sheet could see accusation that is “potentially protected from disclosure by enforcement and different privileges, including among others the statesmanlike communications, deliberative process and lawyer lawsuit privileges.”

Clark wrote to Bannon that “President Trump is prepared to support these cardinal privileges successful court.”

Spokespeople for Trump person not returned messages seeking comment. Trump said successful a connection past period that helium would “fight the Subpoenas connected Executive Privilege and different grounds, for the bully of our Country.”

Bannon is the lone 1 of the apical Trump aides subpoenaed connected Sept. 23 who was not moving for the Trump medication connected Jan. 6. It is unclear whether that volition impact his lasting if the lawsuit moves to the courts.

Patel said successful a connection that helium volition “continue to archer the American radical the information astir January 6" but would not accidental whether helium would comply. Scavino and an adjutant to Meadows person not instantly responded to requests for comment.

The contented tin besides go much analyzable due to the fact that Trump nary longer is successful office. As the erstwhile president, he cannot straight asseverate privilege to support witnesses quiescent oregon documents retired of the hands of Congress. As the existent president, Biden volition person immoderate say successful the matter.

The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th onslaught has issued more than a twelve subpoenas to radical linked to plans for the Jan. 6 protests, including 3 further witnesses announced Thursday. Those individuals would beryllium little apt to get assistance from Trump’s enforcement privilege claims, since they did not enactment for the White House and astir of them did not person regular interaction with Trump.

The committee chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said further subpoenas had gone to Ali Abdul Akbar, besides known arsenic Ali Alexander, and Nathan Martin, arsenic good the enactment “ Stop the Steal, " to larn much astir a rally that was planned connected the Capitol grounds astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic the larger gathering connected the National Mall. The committee earlier subpoenaed 11 different individuals connected to the readying of the larger rally.

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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Ben Fox and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

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