Photo Credit: Getty Images
When former Trump adviser Steve Bannon goes to prison, it won’t be in a minimum-security “Club Fed” facility, as he had hoped. Instead, Bannon will report to the low-security federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.
Bannon, now a right-wing podcaster with a loyal following among Trump supporters, must surrender by July 1 to begin serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. His attorneys initially believed he might serve his time in a minimum-security camp, but Bannon is ineligible for such a setup due to a pending criminal case in New York. He is facing charges of defrauding donors in the “We Build the Wall” campaign, with a trial set for September.
In 2022, Bannon was convicted by a federal jury in Washington, DC, for failing to comply with a subpoena for an interview and documents related to the US House’s January 6, 2021, investigation. He has remained a staunch ally of Trump and a vocal supporter of his reelection bid.
Bannon’s attorneys have argued that his imprisonment shouldn’t commence this summer, citing the need for him to provide information to Americans on important campaign issues. They filed a request to the DC US Circuit Court of Appeals, stating that his incarceration would hinder his role as an advisor during the crucial pre-election period.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons has declined to comment on Bannon’s specific arrangements, citing security and privacy reasons. Danbury’s federal prison, which houses over 1,000 male inmates, includes white-collar criminals but also has violent and sex offenders. Unlike minimum-security camps, Danbury has a barrier referred to as “the wall” separating the facility from the outside world.
Bannon’s time in federal prison is expected to last through October unless an appeals court intervenes. He may also face rougher conditions if he is held in a facility like Rikers Island during his state trial proceedings. Unlike some first-time offenders, Bannon and Peter Navarro, another Trump adviser sentenced for contempt of Congress, will serve their full four-month terms without the possibility of early release, as their sentences do not include supervised release.
Bannon has hired prison consultant Sam Mangel to assist with his prison setup and is awaiting a decision from the DC Circuit on whether he can delay his imprisonment. Despite these legal challenges, Bannon remains closely connected to Trump and his political circle, recently speaking at a conservative event in Detroit where Trump also made an appearance.
