Trump ally Steve Bannon is released after four months in prison for contempt of Congress

DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — Longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon was released from prison early Tuesday after serving a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena as part of the congressional investigation Attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Bannon left the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, according to Kristie Breshears, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He planned to hold a news conference in Manhattan later in the day, his representatives said. He is also expected to resume his podcast on Tuesday.

Bannon, 70, reported to prison on July 1 after the Supreme Court rejected his request to defer his sentence while he appealed his conviction.

A jury Bannon found guilty in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for testimony before the House committee on January 6, and the other for refusing to provide documents related to his involvement in Trump's efforts To compensate for the defeat against Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election campaign, submit a race.

When he began his prison sentence in July, Bannon described himself as a “political prisoner.”

“I’m proud to go to prison,” he said at the time, adding that he was defending Attorney General Merrick Garland and a “corrupt” Justice Department.

Trump, a Republican, is seeking to regain the presidency the election next week against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

A federal appeals court panel confirmed Bannon's convictions in May. Bannon is now asking the full appeals court to hear his case. His legal team had argued that the congressional subpoena was invalid because Trump had invoked executive privilege. But prosecutors say Bannon left the White House years ago and Trump never invoked executive privilege before the committee.

Bannon faces additional criminal charges in New York state court deceived donors who donated money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bannon pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud and other charges. The trial in this case is scheduled to begin in December.