Steve Bannon lawyer asks to pull out of contempt case

A lawyer for Steve Bannon is asking a court for authorization to withdraw from a legal contempt case, citing fears in excess of irrespective of whether he could be named as a witness.

Attorney Robert Costello filed a movement in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia noting that the courtroom has not but identified if he could be referred to as as a witness and “reluctantly” tendered his withdrawal ask for. The trial in the scenario is slated to start off July 18.

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“I have been co-counsel to Mr. Bannon all through these proceedings as perfectly as in relationship with all interactions with the Find Committee,” he wrote. “Due to the fact it appears there will be a trial, and since it appears that at this position in time I may well be named as a witness, I have to reluctantly check with the Courtroom to grant my ask for.”

Bannon is dealing with two contempt of Congress rates for failing to comply with a subpoena from the Home Jan. 6 committee last 12 months. Costello has recommended that he could aid Bannon’s case if he have been to seem as a witness.

As his law firm at the time, Costello was privy to Bannon’s interactions with the panel. He indicated that he wishes to be known as as a witness to protect Bannon, but the court docket has not presented a apparent respond to about whether that would be permitted.

“If the Courtroom decides to protect against me from testifying, there will be no pathway to advise the Jury about the communications with the Choose Committee or the three prosecutors in this circumstance, who interfered with Mr. Bannon’s legal professional-customer romantic relationship by trying to change me into a witness from my client by surreptitiously subpoenaing my house, business direct line, and cellphone data,” he continued.

Just one argument Bannon sought to use for his defense is that he defied the subpoena because he was acting on “tips of counsel,” but a judge shot down that argument in April.

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Each contempt charge can have involving 30 days and a year in jail, as well as up to a $100,000 great if convicted. Bannon has pleaded not guilty to the fees towards him and has insisted previous President Donald Trump’s government privilege claim barred him from complying with the subpoena. Prosecutors have disputed this, pointing out that he was not a member of the Trump administration at the time of the Capitol riot, the time body on which the committee is targeted.

Last thirty day period, Bannon requested his trial be delayed until eventually Oct thanks to the possibility of the Jan. 6 committee’s general public hearings influencing jurors in the case. So significantly, that ask for has not been granted. Decide Carl Nichols is overseeing the scenario.