Steve Bannon to Testify Before the J6 Committee This Week

The Jan. 6th committee is set to resume hearings this Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday’s hearing will specifically focus on “extremist groups” and their activities leading up to the event at the capitol.

Committee member Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California, told CNN:

“We are going to be connecting the dots during these hearings between these groups and those who were trying – in government circles – to overturn the election,”

The goal is to “connect the dots” between these civilian “extremist groups” and those in Trump’s circle (Bannon) who questioned the integrity of the election, something a large percent of the country is also questioning.

The committee hopes to demonstrate a clear link between Bannon and others from the Trump administration and such groups, particularly the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. 

Former Proud Boys spokesperson Jason Van Tatenhove is expected to testify, as he claims to have knowledge of the inner workings of the organization.

Most notable will be the testimony of former Whitehouse Strategist Steven K. Bannon, who notified the committee that he was willing to testify after President Trump waived executive privilege.

Bannon had previously refused to comply with committee subpoenas and was last year charged with two counts of contempt of Congress.

Bannon’s attorney Robert Costello said in a letter to the committee: 

“President Trump has decided that it would be in the best interests of the American people to waive executive privilege for Stephen K. Bannon, to allow Mr. Bannon to comply with the subpoena issued by your Committee,”

Bannon’s testimony is yet to be scheduled. The Justice Department lawyers who are litigating Bannon’s contempt of Congress charges seem to be skeptical of Bannon’s Motives. 

DOJ lawyers said in a court filing:

“His continued failure to comply with the subpoena’s document demand while claiming he now will testify suggests his actions are little more than an attempt to change the optics of his contempt,”

Bannon had previously argued that he did not have to comply with subpoenas after Trump invoked executive privilege, but federal prosecutors say that because Bannon was a private citizen at the time of the capitol riot, such privilege did not apply.