The House Committee investigating the Capitol insurrection is moving forward in taking action against Donald Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon for refusing to comply with his subpoena. Rep. Adam Schiff made another warning this week on the other subpoenaed Trump aides while revealing what Bannon can expect from the bipartisan panel this week.
Speaking on “The Sunday Show” on MSNBC, Schiff explained the process that the committee would undergo this week following Bannon’s defiance of its subpoena. Schiff explained that the committee would vote on a report concluding that Bannon should be held in contempt. The report from the committee will then go to the Democrat-controlled House for a vote, after which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will refer the contempt to the DOJ.
As per statute, Schiff explained that the DOJ has the duty to present the contempt to a grand jury. Bannon has refused to comply with the subpoena, likely under the instructions of the twice-impeached former president who has maintained invoking executive privilege even if he is no longer in office. The Biden White House has waived Trump’s claim of executive privilege as it has already authorized the National Archives to turn over records to the panel.
“I don’t know the date we will take it up on the floor. We hope to take it up very soon but we’re not messing around here. We’re moving very expeditiously. To me, this is an early sign of whether our democracy is recovering, whether it’s true that no one is above the law, that rule of law must apply. So we intend to go after anyone who doesn’t provide information that they’re lawfully compelled to, to our committee,” said Schiff.
At the same time, the former president has filed a lawsuit against the National Archives and the House Committee in what may be a desperate attempt to block records of the White House on January 6. Trump cited that the panel does not have a valid purpose and that the committee has requested too many documents.
Legal experts believe that Trump’s claim of executive privilege no longer has weight as he is no longer president.