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Ex-Trump aide Bannon faces possible prison for contempt

Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP

| By AFP |

Donald Trump’s former aide Steve Bannon faces possible prison time Friday, when a judge will set his sentence for refusing to testify in Congress’ probe of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Bannon, a longtime political strategist and vocal advocate for the Republican former president, was found guilty in July on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to testify.

The Justice Department urged the court Monday to sentence the 68-year-old to six months in prison — the high end of sentencing guidelines but less than the maximum possible 12 months — and fine him $200,000, pointing out that Bannon had repeatedly sought to delay the proceedings by hinting he might cooperate.

Bannon “has pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt,” the department said.

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Bannon, who currently runs a streaming political commentary website, asked the court to sentence him to probation, saying he had rejected the congressional subpoena on the advice of his lawyers.

He also asked that the court place a stay on implementation of any sentence while his appeal of the original verdict goes ahead.

“Mr. Bannon respectfully asserts that a sentence of incarceration would violate his constitutional rights,” his submission said.

The investigation by a special House committee has depicted Bannon as knowing in advance of the plan by hardline Trump supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6 to prevent Democrat Joe Biden from being confirmed as the next president.

It also showed him advocating for Congress to block Biden — who defeated Trump in the November 2020 election — from becoming president.

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“The rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building — they assaulted the rule of law upon which this country was built and through which it endures,” the Justice Department told the court in its sentencing memo.

“By flouting the Select Committee’s subpoena and its authority, the defendant exacerbated that assault.”

Bannon was one of the masterminds behind Trump’s original presidential campaign and victory in 2016.  

He served in the White House for the first seven months of Trump’s term as chief strategist, leaving reportedly due to conflicts with other top staffers.

In 2020, Bannon was charged together with others with wire fraud and money laundering for taking millions of dollars for personal use that donors contributed to their scheme to build a wall on the border with Mexico.

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While others were found guilty in the scheme, before leaving office in January 2021, Trump issued of blanket pardon for Bannon, leading to the dismissal of the charges against him.

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Central America

El Salvador extends condolences to Turkey following deadly hotel fire

The Government of El Salvador extends its condolences and expresses solidarity with the Government of Turkey following the death of at least 76 people and more than 50 injuries in the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Province on January 21.

“El Salvador offers its hopes for the swift recovery of those affected and expresses its deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased due to this tragic event,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Our country reaffirms the strong bonds of friendship shared with the Republic of Turkey, especially during this time of profound sorrow.”

The Turkish government began burying the victims on Wednesday, amid accusations of negligence.

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International

Trump’s decree to halt electric vehicle subsidies and support combustion engines

A presidential decree signed on Monday after the inauguration aims to bring internal combustion engines back to the forefront and suspend federal subsidies for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in the United States.

Other measures could follow, such as the elimination of a federal tax credit for those purchasing electric vehicles, or the cancellation of an exemption that allows California to have stricter automotive standards than the rest of the country.

Upon taking office, Trump stated that he intends to end the “Green New Deal,” an initiative that includes the incentives promoted by Biden to stimulate electric vehicle sales.

Shares of electric vehicle manufacturers like Rivian and charging equipment providers such as EVgo fell on the stock market. Tesla, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, also saw a decline.

For Kathy Harris, director of the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), which focuses on clean energy vehicles, Trump is seeking to please “the big bosses of the oil industry.”

Harris insists that electric vehicles are better for the environment and allow for fuel savings.

The presidential decree on electric vehicles, like other ones signed since Monday, could lead to legal challenges.

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International

Student killed, two injured in shooting at Nashville High School

A student was killed and two others were injured in a shooting that occurred this morning at a high school in Nashville, the capital city of Tennessee, in the southern United States, according to the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department.

The shooter, a 17-year-old student armed with a handgun, opened fire in the cafeteria of Antioch High School around 11:00 a.m. local time before taking his own life, police reported during a press conference.

One student was fatally shot. Of the injured, one student sustained a gunshot wound to the arm and is in stable condition at a hospital. Another student suffered a facial injury that was not caused by a gunshot and is receiving treatment, according to ABC News.

The school was placed on lockdown following the shooting. Students were transported by bus to an off-campus reunification site where distraught parents picked them up.

“Antioch High School is on lockdown due to shots fired inside the school building,” the school posted on social media. “Metro police are on the scene. The person responsible for the shooting no longer poses a threat.”

A SWAT team cleared the school, and authorities have launched an ongoing investigation.

Antioch High School serves approximately 2,000 students in grades nine through twelve, according to its website.

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