Washington — Steve Bannon, an in depth ally of former President Donald Trump, advised the Home choose committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol that he’s keen to testify, an about-face after he refused to adjust to the panel’s subpoena late final 12 months and was indicted after defying the demand.
Robert Costello, an legal professional for Bannon, advised committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson in a letter Saturday that the previous White Home chief strategist “is keen to, certainly prefers, to testify at your public listening to.”
“Whereas Mr. Bannon has been steadfast in his convictions, circumstances have now modified,” Costello wrote within the letter obtained by CBS Information. Bannon’s lawyer mentioned that whereas former President Donald Trump invoked govt privilege over his testimony and paperwork, the previous president “has determined that it will be in the perfect pursuits of the American folks to waive govt privilege for” Bannon, permitting him to adjust to the choose committee’s subpoena.
Trump despatched a letter, additionally obtained by CBS Information, to Costello and Bannon on Saturday, through which he mentioned he would waive govt privilege if Bannon and the committee reached an settlement “on a time and place in your testimony.”
The Guardian was first to report Bannon’s willingness to seem earlier than the panel.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Whereas Trump claimed he invoked govt privilege, U.S. District Decide Carl Nichols rejected Bannon’s argument that as a former White Home official, he didn’t have an obligation to adjust to the choose committee’s subpoena when govt privilege has been asserted. Bannon had requested the courtroom to dismiss the felony contempt case in opposition to him, however Nichols declined the request final month.
Bannon’s shift additionally comes simply days before his trial within the case introduced by the Justice Division is about to start out.
The trial stems from Bannon’s refusal to comply with the committee’s subpoena for his data and testimony, which was first issued in late September. The Home then held him in criminal contempt of Congress for defying the demand, and he was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress in November. Bannon pleaded not responsible to each prices.
Requested about Bannon’s willingness to testify earlier than the choose committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, a member of the panel, mentioned he is “sure” investigators could be “very ” in listening to from him.
“I perceive from stories at the moment, he is had a change of coronary heart, and after watching, presumably, all of those folks come ahead, , together with Cassidy, Hutchinson, , he is determined that he needs to return in,” Raskin mentioned in an interview on “Face the Nation.”
However the Maryland Democrat instructed Bannon would first have to sit down for a taped deposition behind closed doorways, as has been the method for different witnesses.
Rob Legare contributed to this report
