Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon surrendered at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, on Monday to begin a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. The charges stem from his defiance of a subpoena related to the congressional investigation into the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Bannon, who arrived at the facility around noon, declared himself a “political prisoner” and criticized the Department of Justice and Democrats, including Attorney General Merrick Garland. “I am proud of going to prison,” Bannon stated, asserting that he was “standing up to the Garland corrupt DOJ.”

As Bannon surrendered, a group of supporters, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), gathered outside the prison. They expressed their support through flags and signs while chanting “USA!” A small group of protesters countered with shouts of “Lock him up!” and “traitor!” The confrontation between the groups was marked by heightened tension, prompting police to manage traffic as Bannon’s vehicle exited a nearby church parking lot.

Bannon’s imprisonment follows a nearly two-year period of freedom allowed by a judge while he appealed his convictions. The appeals court upheld the contempt charges, and the Supreme Court recently rejected his final appeal. Bannon was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with the January 6th House Committee’s subpoena, both for a deposition and for documents concerning his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Defense attorneys have contested the validity of the subpoena, citing executive privilege claims by former President Trump. Prosecutors countered that Bannon was not in the White House during the relevant period and that Trump never invoked executive privilege before the committee. The legal battle over the legitimacy of the Jan. 6 committee’s actions continues, with Republican House leaders supporting efforts to invalidate the committee’s formation and its subpoenas.

Bannon’s ally, former trade adviser Peter Navarro, similarly faced contempt of Congress charges and began his own four-month sentence in March after the Supreme Court denied his appeal.

Bannon also faces criminal charges in New York for allegedly defrauding donors in a scheme related to the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud, with the trial scheduled for late September.

Credit: AP