Trump ally Bannon taken into custody on contempt charges

WASHINGTON, DC — A longtime Donald Trump ally who served as an adviser to the former president has surrendered to federal authorities to face contempt charges after defying a subpoena from a House committee investigating January’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Steve Bannon was taken into custody Monday morning when he turned himself in at an FBI field office. He’s expected to appear in court later in the afternoon. The case has been referred to District Judge Carl Nichols, who was appointed by Trump.

The 67-year-old Bannon was defiant when addressing TV cameras, saying, "We're taking down the Biden regime."

He was indicted on Friday on two counts of criminal contempt. One of the counts charges him with refusing to appear for a congressional deposition with the House committee investigating Jan. 6, and the other count is for refusing to provide documents in response to the committee’s subpoena.

Each count carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Bannon's indictment came as a second expected witness, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, defied his own subpoena from the committee on Friday.