The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) decries the political prosecution and conviction of conservative Steve Bannon. After being denied his right to call House committee members at trial, a D.C. jury found Bannon guilty today under 2 U.S.C. § 192 of contempt of Congress.
“Political prosecutions are what dictatorships do, and should never happen in the United States,” declared Andrew Schlafly, General Counsel of AAPS. “Being a supporter and adviser to Donald Trump is not a real crime.”
Steve Bannon as a private citizen was targeted by the House Select Committee while spending millions of dollars for more than a year targeting Trump supporters about protests on January 6, 2021. The Department of Justice rejected a recommendation by this Democrat-controlled committee to prosecute former congressman Mark Meadows for the same charges that it prosecuted Bannon on.
“When the Republican House voted that Democrat-appointed Eric Holder was in contempt of Congress, DOJ immediately announced its refusal to prosecute him,” Mr. Schlafly said. “Yet DOJ went after Steve Bannon, and he was prevented at trial from calling any of the House Democrats who initiated this against him.”
“This prosecution and conviction of Steve Bannon are unprecedented,” observed Andrew Schlafly, General Counsel of AAPS. “This prosecution of Bannon merely advances the political goals of enemies of Donald Trump.”
During jury selection in Bannon’s case, many potential jurors expressed their political views against Steve Bannon. They were excused from the jury, but the prevalence of their views in D.C. indicated that the trial should not have proceeded there.
“D.C. is not a fair venue for a trial pitting Democrats in Congress against a critic of them,” continued Mr. Schlafly. “The incoming new Congress, predicted to be Republican, should change the law so that trials are held where defendant resides, not where federal government employs so many.”
“The incoming expectedly Republican House should enact a resolution to pardon Steve Bannon on its first day in session in January,” Jane Orient, M.D., the Executive Director of AAPS, stated.
The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) is a national organization representing physicians in all specialties since 1943. Its motto is omnia pro aegroto (everything for the patient).
