Supreme Court Clears Path to Dismiss Criminal Case Against Steve Bannon

The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Justice Department to dismiss its criminal case against Steve Bannon, a former White House adviser who was previously convicted of contempt of Congress.

The decision follows a move by federal prosecutors earlier this year to drop the indictment that was originally brought during the previous administration. Both the Justice Department and Bannon had asked the high court to vacate a lower court ruling and return the case to a trial court so the charges could be formally dismissed.

Bannon was convicted in 2022 after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He later served a four-month prison sentence in 2024.

While the Supreme Court’s decision is not expected to have major practical consequences since Bannon has already completed his sentence, it marks a significant legal development in the long-running case.

Bannon had argued that he did not willfully defy the subpoena and was instead acting on advice from his attorneys, citing executive privilege concerns at the time. However, lower courts previously rejected that argument, ruling that reliance on legal counsel was not a valid defense in this case.

The Justice Department has since said dismissing the case is in the interest of justice, signaling a shift in how the matter is being handled.

The ruling brings a formal close to one of the more high-profile cases tied to the January 6 investigation.

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