Steve Bannon gets an unusual assist from Trump’s Justice Department

In its latest affront to the rule of law, President Trump’s Department of Justice on Feb. 9 asked a federal judge to dismiss the indictment against Trump crony Steve Bannon for contempt of Congress — even though Bannon was charged more than four years ago and already completed a four-month prison sentence.

As The New York Times explained, “dismissal of the indictment against him would effectively wipe out the conviction.” 

To dismiss an indictment after a prison sentence has already been served is virtually unprecedented and shows the lengths to which the administration will go to whitewash history and rewrite the past. The judge, Trump appointee Carl Nichols, would be well advised to refuse.

It would appear Trump is trying to reward Bannon for refusing to testify in 2021 before the January 6 Select Committee of the House of Representatives.

Trump has said that the effort to compel Bannon to testify was part of a political vendetta carried out against him and an unconstitutional violation of executive privilege. The committee, the full House of Representatives, and numerous judges, however, were not convinced.

At the time the indictment was announced, Attorney General Merrick Garland said: “Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law. … Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these........

© The Hill