Supreme Court Clears Path For DOJ To Dismiss Bannon Contempt Case

The Supreme Court of the United States has taken a step that could allow the Justice Department to move toward dismissing the criminal case against Steve Bannon over his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena.

In a new order, the court agreed to vacate a prior appeals court ruling that upheld Bannon’s conviction and sent the case back to a lower court for further review. The decision removes a key legal obstacle that had been standing in the way of potential dismissal.

Bannon was previously convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress after declining to provide testimony and documents to the House Jan. 6 Committee. He served time in prison from July to October 2024 following that conviction.

The current administration has indicated it may seek to dismiss the case as a matter of prosecutorial discretion, arguing that doing so would serve the interests of justice.

Bannon’s legal team has long maintained that he did not willfully defy Congress, but instead followed legal guidance tied to claims of executive privilege asserted by President Donald Trump.

They have argued that he should have been allowed to present that defense more fully during trial, calling it a critical issue in the case.

The appeals court had previously rejected those arguments, and the Supreme Court declined earlier attempts to intervene before Bannon served his sentence.

The case has drawn comparisons to that of Peter Navarro, who also faced contempt charges under similar circumstances tied to the same congressional investigation.

With the Supreme Court’s latest move, the case now returns to a lower court, where the Justice Department will have the opportunity to formally pursue dismissal, potentially closing out one of the most high-profile legal battles stemming from the Jan. 6 investigation.