Steve Bannon, a former adviser to former President Donald Trump, wants to testify before the US commission of inquiry into the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This is evidenced by a letter Bannon’s lawyer sent to the commission, the news channel reported. CNN† Bannon previously declined to testify.
The commission wants to show that the storming of the Capitol was coordinated by then-US President Donald Trump and those around him. The attack is said to be aimed at thwarting the congressional nomination of Joe Biden as the new president of the United States.
Last month, the commission began a series of public hearings. The investigative committee said earlier that it considered Bannon a significant witness. He warned on January 6 that “hell is going to explode.”
Trump thinks Bannon’s testimony can balance out
But Bannon refused to testify. This decision led to his trial for contempt of Parliament. Bannon invoked the immunity enjoyed by the president’s advisers. This means that they do not have to talk about confidential matters.
On Sunday, Bannon’s lawyer released a letter from Trump. In it, the former president wrote that secrecy no longer applied to Bannon. He can now testify.
Trump would have been concerned about (in his view) the one-sided and biased way the inquiry was operating. Bannon can balance this out, according to the former president.
Bannon’s contempt of Parliament trial is scheduled for July 18. However, it is not clear what his willingness to testify means for the trial.
Zoe Lofgren, a member of the Democratic Committee, said investigators want to learn more this week about the links between the militant groups involved in the storm and government officials.
The events of January 6, 2021 in brief:
- Supporters of then-President Donald Trump staged a protest march in Washington, because Trump claims (without evidence) that election fraud was committed.
- Thousands of protesters march to the Capitol after Trump’s appeal. At the time, Congress confirmed Joe Biden as the new president.
- Soon the demonstrators managed to storm the building. The police are taken completely by surprise.
- Four people were killed during the storm. Among the dead were a police officer who died of a heart attack and a protester who was shot dead by police. 138 officers were wounded.
- In the aftermath of the storm, four agents were killed with their lives.