Politics

Watch: Steve Bannon surrenders to the FBI after being indicted on 2 counts of contempt of Congress

Steve Bannon surrenders to FBI after indictment
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon arrives at the FBI Washington Field Office, Monday, Nov., 15, 2021, in Washington. AP
Read in app

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon surrendered to the FBI on Monday morning after being indicted last week.

The Justice Department charged Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, with two counts of contempt of Congress. He is expected to appear in court on Monday afternoon.

"We're taking down the Biden regime," Bannon told reporters as he surrendered himself.

Friday's charges came after Bannon refused to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. He rejected the committee's demand that he sit for a deposition and produce relevant documents. The panel moved to pursue criminal contempt charges against him last month.

The Justice Department has previously declined to enforce criminal contempt referrals, but both Democrats and Republicans on the select committee said they expected that to change under the Biden administration.

Attorney General Merrick Garland highlighted the apolitical nature of Bannon's indictment in a statement announcing the charges Friday.

"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, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law," the statement said. "Today's charges reflect the department's steadfast commitment to these principles."

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Read next

Sonam was a political correspondent who covered national security, foreign policy, and elections. She has interviewed former national security adviser John Bolton, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Rep. Adam Schiff, the special counsel Robert Mueller's top prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, Mueller's star witness Rick Gates, and former CIA director John Brennan.Sonam's work has been cited in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Daily Beast, Vanity Fair, and others. She frequently appears on MSNBC and has also made appearances on NBC News, BBC World News, BBC News radio, WNYC, and more.Sonam worked at CNBC before joining the politics team at Business Insider.