Steve Bannon, a former White House strategist and Trump ally who faces criminal charges over the Capitol disturbance, is suddenly willing to testify.
Bannon's turnabout was relayed in a letter from his counsel late Saturday, legislators claimed. The committee is preparing to unveil what it claims are the week's most dramatic revelations against Trump in what may be its final sessions.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., expects to hear from him and has many questions.
Bannon refused to testify before the committee, leading to two criminal allegations of contempt of Congress last year. He claims executive privilege protects his testimony. The committee says this claim is problematic since Bannon was a private individual when he consulted with Trump before the incident on Jan. 6, 2021.
As the former president grew angry with the committee's one-sided presentation, Trump suggested he would forgo his privilege claim, according to a letter to Bannon's counsel.
If you agree on a time and location for your testimony, Trump will waive executive privilege so you can testify truthfully and fairly.
The committee will examine the three-plus hours Trump did nothing as supporters flooded the Capitol. It's the first prime-time hearing since June 9, when 20 million people watched.
18 July is Bannon's criminal trial. Monday is his court date in Washington. Bannon wants a fall trial postponement.
Bannon's cooperation is unknown. He prefers a public hearing. The committee says he must first give a sworn deposition. He may also present and refuse to answer questions, citing the Fifth Amendment.
According to Raskin, every witness is treated the same: They come in and speak to the committee. They're sworn in for depositions. Videotaped."
The committee claims Banon "knew of Jan. 6 events before they happened.
Bannon quoted in his podcast saying, “It’s not going to happen like you think it’s going to happen. OK, it’s going to be quite extraordinarily different. I'll I can say is strap in,” Bannon said in that podcast. “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow. … So many people said, ‘Man, if I was in a revolution, I would be in Washington.’ Well, this is your time in history.”
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Headline USA.
