US District Decide Carl J. Nichols presides over the Bannon’s case on Monday. (Sketch by Invoice Hennessy)
The second day of Steve Bannon’s trial is now underway in Washington. He’s dealing with two legal costs for his failure to adjust to the Home’s Jan. 6, 2021, investigation 10 months after receiving subpoenas from the choose committee.
Earlier than conducting the ultimate part of jury choice, by which the pool of potential jurors might be whittled down from 22 to 12 plus two alternates, Decide Carl Nichols is listening to arguments on an evidentiary dispute nonetheless pending.
Particularly, the choose is contemplating whether or not October 2021 letters from Home Jan. 6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson to Steve Bannon’s group concerning the subpoena are admissible. Bannon’s legal professionals now need the letters excluded from the trial.
Signaling some sympathy with Bannon’s arguments, Nichols is elevating issues about admitting the letters in full, as a result of they embody discussions of government privilege, a subject Nichols has already dominated is essentially irrelevant for trial. He has requested prosecutors what he ought to to forestall the jury from being confused by them.
The federal government is arguing that the letters are related to a key situation that might be earlier than the jury to determine: whether or not Bannon had cause to consider that the deadlines on the subpoena have been versatile as a result of negotiations round his cooperation have been nonetheless ongoing.
The events now are debating proposals to both enter redacted variations of the letters, to incorporate solely the components of the communications that to talk to that query, or to enter a stipulation agreed to by the 2 sides concerning the letters.