Following his indictment on contempt of Congress charges for refusing to comply with a House inquiry into the U.S. Capitol riot, Hillary Clinton needed only five words to throw shade at former Trump White House senior strategist Steve Bannon.
Clinton responded to a tweet asking, “You know who is not going to jail and has never been indicted for anything?” referring to the years Clinton has endured Donald Trump’s “lock her up” smears. Clinton was also wished a “great weekend” by the person who asked the question.
“Thanks, it was quite restful,” wrote Clinton on Monday after Bannon shortly after Bannon had surrendered to the FBI.
Thanks, it was quite restful. https://t.co/COcH6UQauz
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 15, 2021
Former President Donald Trump turned to Twitter via a spokeswoman almost two days after his close associate and former chief strategist were indicted to express his displeasure.
“This country has perhaps never done to anyone what they have done to Steve Bannon and they are looking to do it to others, also,” Trump said in a statement publicized by Liz Harrington on Sunday.
Bannon was released without bail on Monday after surrendering to federal authorities in Washington, D.C., where he faces criminal charges after refusing to comply with a subpoena issued by senators investigating the deadly Capitol invasion.
Following his refusal to cooperate with demands to produce papers and sit for a deposition as part of that inquiry, Bannon, 67, was charged with two counts of contempt of Congress.
Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
During Bannon’s brief initial hearing, Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather stated that Bannon will be subject to general monitoring requirements as part of his release conditions. He’ll have to report to pretrial services on a regular basis and notify them of any plans to travel outside of Washington.
Bannon has also committed not to obtain any further international travel documents after surrendering his passport.
At the hearing, Bannon did not enter a plea. On Thursday at 11 a.m. ET, he will appear before former President Donald Trump’s appointment, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols.
Bannon claimed he and his allies were “bringing down the Biden administration” outside the FBI’s Washington field office before turning himself in.
“I want you guys to stay focused, stay on message,” Bannon said in remarks being live-streamed to a right-wing social media platform.
Bannon is one of a growing list of Trump associates who have been asked to cooperate with a bipartisan House select committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by hundreds of Trump supporters, which temporarily prevented Congress from confirming President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
Trump had spent months peddling a variety of conspiracy theories about election fraud and erroneously claimed the battle was rigged against him, despite never conceding the race to Biden.
Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Vice-Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., announced Friday that another Trump friend, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, may face contempt charges for failing to cooperate with their subpoena.
In October, a lawyer for Bannon informed the House Select Committee that Trump had asked him not to submit any papers or testimony “concerning privileged material,” thus he would not comply with the subpoena.
