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The US House of Representatives voted largely along party lines Thursday to hold Steve Bannon, a close ally of former US President Donald Trump, in criminal contempt of Congress.
In debate ahead of the vote, select committee Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. said that allowing Bannon to ignore their subpoena would set a dangerous precedent.
“To my colleagues who choose to vote against enforcing the subpoena, you are saying to all future men and women who are called before this body that they can ignore a subpoena from Congress without consequence,” he said. “The consequences of that vote won’t be limited to this investigation and this subpoena alone. Your vote will be given serious, long-lasting damage to Congress. And that, in turn, will do serious damage to our country, which we all love dearly.”
The 229-202 vote saw only nine Republicans join all of the chamber’s 220 Democrats in approving the measure. The US attorney’s office in Washington, D.C. will now decide whether to prosecute Bannon, who refused to cooperate with a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The nine Republicans that voted with Democrats were Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who are both a part of the House Select Committee investigating January 6; As well as Reps. Anthony Gonzalez, Peter Meijer, Fred Upton, Nancy Mace, John Katko, Brian Fitzpatrick and Jaime Herrera Beutler.
Attorney General Merrick Garland will have the final say on whether the prosecution proceeds.
He said simply under questioning at the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday that the department would “apply the facts and the law and make a decision consistent with the principles of prosecution.”
WATCH: AG Garland promises to follow ‘the facts & the law’ when DOJ receives Steve Bannon’s criminal referral, which the House will vote on today. pic.twitter.com/IrnHjMr95R
— House Judiciary Dems (@HouseJudiciary) October 21, 2021
Most Republicans agree with former President Donald Trump that the investigation is merely a “witch hunt,” while Democrats maintain the probe is a vital step in uncovering key details that they hope will shine a light on accountability for the Capitol riot.
Dozens of officers were injured on Jan. 6 when Trump’s supporters, cajoled on by the president during a rally just minutes before, stormed the Capitol, overrunning gates and smashing through the legislature before ultimately being repelled.
Tellingly, Trump called the rioters “great patriots” in the midst of the mayhem.
The former president released a statement Thursday on the election and the insurrection he incited.
“The insurrection took place on November 3, Election Day. January 6 was the Protest!”
