Bannon wont testify as contempt trial heads to jury

Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon passed up his chance Thursday to call witnesses or take the stand himself in his contempt of Congress trial, clearing the way for the jury to begin deliberating in the case by Friday morning.

The jury has now heard all of the evidence it will hear, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols declared shortly after Bannons attorney David Schoen said the defense was preparing to rest in the case over Bannons failure to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 select committee.

The announcement from Schoen came during court proceedings Thursday morning outside the presence of the jury. Mr. Bannon wont be testifying, Schoen added.

Schoen later read a statement declaring that Bannon wasnt testifying because Nichols had ruled out most of the defenses Bannon wanted to discuss, including an assertion of executive privilege by former President Donald Trump and that he relied on an attorneys advice in declining to respond to the subpoena.

Jurors appeared in the courtroom Thursday for only a few minutes. They did not hear any explanation of Bannons decision. The only official word they received that the defendant would not testify was through Bannon lawyer Evan Corcoran declaring, The defense rests, your honor. A short time later, Nichols sent jurors home to return Friday for final instructions and closing arguments.

However, as usual, Bannon and his lawyers strode to the cameras and reporters outside the courthouse at the end of the day and explained why the former senior adviser to Trump was passing up his chance to testify.