Quick Hit:

A federal judge has ordered Steve Bannon, former adviser to President Trump, to begin his four-month prison sentence in July, despite his ongoing appeals of his contempt of Congress conviction.

Key Details:

• U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols ruled that Bannon must self-surrender by July 1st, siding with prosecutors who argued that his appeal to overturn the conviction was unlikely to succeed.

• Bannon was convicted in 2022 for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6th committee, which sought his deposition and documents.

• Despite his legal team's insistence that he should remain free while his appeal is pending, the judge determined that there is no substantial question of law likely to result in a reversal of his conviction.

Diving Deeper:

Steve Bannon, a former top adviser to President Donald Trump, has been ordered by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols to begin his prison sentence on July 1st. This order follows the recent rejection of Bannon's appeal by a three-judge panel from the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals.

Bannon was convicted in 2022 for contempt of Congress after failing to appear for a deposition and refusing to turn over documents requested by the now-defunct House Jan. 6th committee. 

During the Wednesday hearing, Judge Nichols agreed with prosecutors who argued that Bannon's appeal did not present any substantial legal questions that might result in a reversal or a new trial. "The government's motion is granted," Nichols stated, thereby rejecting Bannon's request to remain free during the ongoing appeals process.

Bannon's legal team contended that there was "no basis" for immediate incarceration and argued that his appeal had not yet reached a court with the authority to overturn the precedent upholding his conviction. Despite this, the Justice Department pressed for immediate enforcement of the sentence, noting the appellate court's decision against Bannon last month.

Bannon has vowed to continue his legal fight, indicating plans to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. He has argued that he should remain free while his appeal is pending, a stance the court ultimately did not accept.

This case parallels that of another former Trump adviser, Peter Navarro, who is currently serving a four-month sentence for similar contempt charges related to the Jan. 6th committee. Navarro also sought emergency relief from the Supreme Court to avoid prison but was unsuccessful.