Panel Rejects Bannon's Request to Delay Contempt Vote

A request from former White House strategist Steve Bannon to delay a vote Tuesday to refer him for prosecution has been denied by the House select committee probing the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6.

The request was made after former President Donald Trump filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the panel to try to prevent Congress from obtaining some of his White House documents.

In a federal lawsuit, Trump said the committee's August request was "almost limitless in scope," and sought many records that were not even connected to the siege.

Bannon's attorney, Robert Costello, made the request for the delay in a letter to Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. A copy of the letter was posted on Twitter by Axios' Andrew Solender.

The letter, dated Monday, noted the law firm had just been advised Trump had filed suit.

"In light of this late filing, we respectfully request a one-week adjournment . . . so we can thoughtfully assess the impact of this pending litigation, Costello wrote.

Thompson replied: "The only basis for your request is yesterday's filing of litigation by former President Trump against the chairman, Selected Committee, Archivist of the United States, and the National Archives and Records Administration."

Thompson called the Trump litigation "immaterial" to the committee's demand for documents and testimony from Bannon.

"Accordingly, no grounds exist for any 'adjournment' or other delay and your request is denied," Thompson wrote.

If the House votes to recommend the contempt charges against Bannon, it would trigger a full House vote to be taken.

But the Justice Department must ultimately decide whether to prosecute, according to The Associated Press.

And The Hill noted the committee will vote Tuesday night whether to refer Bannon the Justice Department for criminal charges.

• House Jan. 6 Panel Targets Trump Advisers, Staffers With Flurry of Subpoenas
• House Jan. 6 Committee Rejects Bannon 'Privilege' Claim