A federal judge on Thursday again declined to delay the upcoming trial of Steve Bannon, an adviser to former President Donald Trump who faces contempt charges after refusing for months to cooperate with the House Jan. 6 select committee.
Bannon's lawyers, in a court filing Wednesday, referenced their client's previous comments being mentioned during Tuesday’s committee hearing, as well as a CNN documentary set to air Sunday night, as reasons for requesting the delay, CNBC reported
Both events create "the very serious risk of prejudice here" against Bannon among jurors to be selected for his trial, the lawyers said.
Judge Carl Nichols, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, denied the request.
"New: Judge Nichols denies Steve Bannon's motion to delay trial beyond July 18 and says they will go forward with voire dire process to select a jury next week — and he will reconsider if they cannot select a fair jury," The Guardian's Hugo Lowell tweeted.
"Judge Nichols: 'I am cognizant of concerns about publicity and bias, and whether we can seat a jury that is appropriate and fair. I believe the appropriate course is to go through the voir dire process.' "
Voir dire is a preliminary examination of a witness or a juror by a judge or counsel.
Lowell also tweeted: "News: Judge Nichols denies, for now, Steve Bannon's motion to present evidence of his letter to the Jan. 6 committee offering to testify — says it's possible for Bannon to argue he was unclear about the date of subpoena default. Final decision on that motion to come at trial."
On Monday, Nichols declined a previous request to delay the upcoming trial, and ruled against several requests by Bannon's attorneys to seek the testimony of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., or the committee chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.
After being notified Saturday that Trump would waive his executive privilege on Jan. 6 testimony, Bannon agreed to testify before Pelosi's committee, comprised of Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans.
On Tuesday, Bannon dared committee members to allow him to testify in public.
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