Former Trump aide Steve Bannon has offered to testify in a US investigation into the January 6 riots.

WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) – Steve Bannon, a former close adviser to Donald Trump, said he is willing to testify before a congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He should be tried for contempt of Congress.

In a letter to the committee seen by Reuters, Bannon’s lawyer, Robert Costello, wrote that the former president would waive the executive privilege claim cited by Bannon by refusing to appear before the committee. read more

Bannon, a prominent figure in right-wing media circles who served as Trump’s chief strategist in 2017, is scheduled to go on trial July 18 on two criminal contempt charges for refusing to testify or provide documents. read more

Sign up now for unlimited free access to Reuters.com

The lawyer’s letter said Bannon wanted to testify publicly, but Democratic caucus Rep. Joe Lofgren told CNN the caucus usually takes testimony behind closed doors.

“It goes on for hours and hours. We want to get all our questions answered. You can’t do that in a live format,” Lofgren said. “He has so many questions.”

Throughout House committee hearings, videotaped clips of closed-door testimony by witnesses under oath have been shown to the public.

See also  European shares rise on hopes of 'soft landing', China reopens

Trump was perplexed that none of his supporters testified in the committee hearing, separate from the investigation focused on the attacks by Trump supporters trying to block Trump’s certification of defeat in Congress by Joe Biden in November 2020. Election.

In a letter to Bannon seen by Reuters, Trump said he was waiving executive authority “because he saw how unfairly you and others have been treated.”

The House panel is set to hold public hearings on Tuesday and Thursday this week. read more

Sign up now for unlimited free access to Reuters.com

Richard Cowan reports; Editing by Howard Koller

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.