(DailyVantage.com) – Former Trump administration strategist Steve Bannon has been denied an early release from prison despite potentially qualifying for it under the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform law signed in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump. The First Step Act allows certain non-violent offenders to reduce their sentences through accumulated “time credits” for good behavior and program participation.
Bannon is currently serving a four-month sentence after being convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the events of January 6, 2021. His lawyers argued in court filings that Bannon has earned enough First Step Act credits to qualify for early release to home confinement, stating that his credits would have allowed for release as of October 19, 2024. Despite submitting an early release request in August, the Bureau of Prisons denied the request, citing insufficient time to complete the necessary processing before Bannon’s sentence ends on October 29, 2024.
Bannon’s legal team contends the delay is purely bureaucratic and unnecessary, emphasizing that other prisoners have been granted release under similar circumstances. The denial has fueled arguments among conservatives that the DOJ is selectively enforcing laws, particularly in cases involving figures connected to Trump. Bannon himself has condemned the decision as politically motivated, calling it part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to “weaponize” the justice system.
The First Step Act, which Bannon is attempting to use to reduce his sentence, has been controversial for its perceived leniency toward certain criminal offenders, especially among Democrats and criminal justice reform advocates. In Bannon’s case, however, the Biden administration’s refusal to grant early release contrasts with its support for First Step Act provisions in other instances, which Bannon’s allies argue is evidence of a “double standard.”
Bannon’s appeal to the Supreme Court challenges his original contempt of Congress conviction, maintaining his stance that his refusal to comply with the January 6 committee’s subpoena was a stand against what he considers to be a partisan and corrupt legal system. His release is now scheduled for October 29, 2024, pending any further judicial or administrative interventions.
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