Ex-Trump Advisor Steve Bannon Could Serve Time With 'Violent Criminals'—Maybe Even at Rikers

Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, will likely not be serving his four-month sentence in a minimum-security federal prison, as initially anticipated. Instead, it could be the case that Bannon will instead be incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, a low-security facility. As per CNN, Bannon was convicted of contempt of Congress after defying a subpoena from the House January 6 select committee; the judge ordered him to report to prison on July 1. Given his non-violent offense and lack of prior convictions, it was expected that Bannon might serve his sentence in a minimum-security prison often referred to as 'Club Fed.'

CNN’s Katelyn Polantz broke the news and discussed the development on Monday’s episode of Erin Burnett OutFront. “Katelyn, I mean, this is a significant development,” Burnett said, according to Mediaite. “Not at all what Bannon was hoping for, or frankly, seemed to be expecting?” “No, not at all what Steve Bannon was wanting here,” Polantz responded. “He had expected–and his lawyers had expected–that, given he’s non-violent and had no prior convictions, he might go to a very minimal security prison camp. That’s not what’s happening.”

Shortly after the hearing concluded, Bannon vowed to fight his contempt of Congress conviction 'all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to.' He also asserted, without evidence, that his prosecution by the Justice Department aimed to "shut down the MAGA movement, shut down grassroots conservatives, and shut down President Trump." “There’s nothing that can shut me up and nothing that will shut me up. There’s not a prison built or a jail built that will ever shut me up,” he told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Washington. “We’re going to win at the Supreme Court,” he added.

Polantz further noted that Bannon's situation is complicated by his upcoming trial in September for allegedly defrauding donors in the We Build The Wall campaign. Although Trump had previously pardoned Bannon of federal charges related to this case, the pardon does not extend to state charges, which Bannon now faces. Polantz even indicated that Bannon could potentially be transferred to the notorious Rikers Island jail while awaiting trial.

Bannon’s attorney, David Schoen, argued during the hearing that his client should remain out of prison until the Supreme Court had a chance to review the case. Schoen also mentioned that he would file a request for the full DC Circuit Court of Appeals to review the case by June 24. Prosecutor John Crabb countered that Bannon had not met the legal criteria to stay out of prison while appealing. Crabb referenced a similar failed effort by Peter Navarro, another former Trump adviser, whose attempt to delay his sentence was denied by both the DC Circuit and the Supreme Court.

Judge Nichols distinguished Navarro’s case from Bannon’s but ultimately highlighted that three appeals court judges had 'wholeheartedly' rejected Bannon’s arguments, as per a different report by CNN. Nichols noted that none of the DC Circuit judges expressed concerns about the key precedent Bannon aimed to overturn. With less than a month until the surrender date, Bannon may still file emergency motions with the appeals court and the Supreme Court to delay his sentence.