Final hearings Jan. 6: Trial of Trump adviser Steve Bannon begins as committee chairman signs Covid

When Thursday’s next hearing of the committee airs prime time on Jan. 6, lawmakers hope to show how it’s done donald trump‘s “dereliction of duty” on the day the US capital was attacked was a key element of what transpired.

On Thursday evening, the panel will reportedly be joined by two key witnesses from the former US President’s home White Housesources familiar with the matter told CNN Monday night.

The pair are reportedly Matthew Pottinger, a former deputy national security adviser, and Sarah Matthews, a former publicist.

Here’s what we know about the couple:

The Independent‘s Andrew Buncombe spoke to Sarah Longwell.

Donald Trump has urged golfers to “take the money now” from LIV Golf, while ignoring pleas from the families of 9/11 victims to shun the Saudi-backed breakaway league.

Trump National Golf Bedminster Course in New Jersey is hosting the next event in the LIV series on July 29-31 and Mr Trump has urged golfers to ‘turn their backs on the PGA Tour’.

A group of lawmakers including Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Andy Levin, Cori Bush, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jackie Speier, Alma Adams, Veronica Escobar and Carolyn B. Maloney were arrested outside Friday and arrested of the Supreme Court amid a pro-abortion demonstration.

In an official statement from Capitol Police, they reported 34 arrests for “crowding, obstructing or incommoding (DC Code §22-1307)”.

Steve Bannon’s defense attorney, Even Corcoran, told the jury in his opening statement that his client was still negotiating the subpoena with the January 6 committee when the contempt charge was brought against him.

“Nobody ignored the subpoena,” he said, claiming that his client did not commit a criminal contempt of Congress when he was charged. “That’s called negotiation, that’s called accommodation… that’s not an excuse.”

Mr Corcoran went on to claim that the charges against Mr Bannon were political.

“My only request of you is to think about it and ask yourself: Is this piece of evidence influenced by politics?” he asked the jury.

Prosecutors in Steve Bannon’s contempt of congress trial said in opening statements that the former Trump adviser believed he was “above the law” and “decided to show contempt” for the House committee investigating the March 6 riots. examined in the Capitol in January.

Describing Mr Bannon’s actions as a crime, Assistant US Attorney Amanda Vaughn told the jury: “The defendant decided that he was above the law and not required to obey government orders like his fellow citizens, and that’s why we’re here today .”

She added that the subpoena issued by Congress to Mr. Bannon “was not a solicitation or an invitation. It was mandatory.”

Evidence at the trial will include a series of letters from the committee to Mr Bannon dismissing his claim for executive privilege and warning of criminal prosecution if he does not respond by October 18, 2021.

With no response, Congress voted to refer him to indictment. “It is not up to the defendant or anyone else to ignore subpoena deadlines for testimony and documents. It’s up to the committee. And the committee told him that his claims for privileges did not excuse him from complying,” Ms Vaughn said.

She further characterized his actions as premeditated.

“It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a mistake. It was a decision. It was a decision,” Ms Vaughn said, noting that it made the case so easy. “He just decided not to play by the rules.”

The National Archives becomes embroiled in the growing US Secret Service scandal over whether agents improperly deleted text messages sent during the Jan. 6 attack after being told to keep them.

The archives issued a statement Tuesday directing the U.S. Secret Service to actually investigate and determine whether text messages had been deleted by the agency as part of an alleged software overhaul, after the agency was specifically directed by the Department of Homeland Security’s surveillance office of the Inspector General to preserve them.

In the meantime The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the Secret Service had no luck retrieving any more text messages sent between January 5 and 6, 2021, a troubling development that does nothing to improve the agency’s growing credibility problem.

Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Senator criticized by New York Joe Manchin of West Virginia on Tuesday for calling for a halt to discussions on the climate talks, saying he had no authority to discuss climate change.

The Independent‘s Eric Garcia spoke with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez at the US Capitol today.

Eric Garcia argues that Biden’s poll numbers make things look very worrying for the November midterms and the 2024 presidential election.

Steve Bannon may not have been able to delay his trial, but a federal trial has been postponed for an Arkansas man who was photographed with his feet on a desk in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosis during the Capitol riots.

A federal judge on Monday postponed the trial of Richard Barnett of Gravette from September 6 to December 12. The delay was requested because Barnett’s attorney has recovered from Covid-19 and Lyme disease.

Mr. Barnett was among the President’s supporters donald trump who stormed the Capitol as lawmakers gathered to confirm Joe Biden’s victory over Trump. Prosecutors say Mr Barnett was carrying a stun gun when he entered the building.