Steve Bannon claims he didn't "willfully" commit a crime in defying congressional subpoenas

Washington – Steven Bannon, the former chief White House strategist for Donald Trump who has been charged with criminal contempt of Congress, issued a court filing Friday that argues he's not guilty because he was heeding the advice of his lawyers and did not know he was committing a crime.

The charges stem from his refusal to testify and provide documents to the House committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. His lawyers advised him not to show up for his interview with congressional staff or turn over the requested material because former President Trump wanted to claim executive privilege. On January 6, 2021, Bannon was not employed by the White House — and hadn't been since 2017.

"Reliance on advice of counsel fundamentally negates guilt," defense attorneys wrote Friday, offering a potential preview of their arguments for Bannon's defense at trial, which is currently set for July.