Federal Prosecutors Oppose Dismissing Steve Bannon's Indictment Despite Trump Pardon -- Here's Why

[JonLP24]

As the recipient of an eleventh hour pardon from Donald Trump, the 45th president’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon received no protest to closing the case against him, but federal prosecutors opposed dismissing his indictment as a matter of record in a surprise letter on Thursday.

“For the reasons set forth below, while the government does not object to administratively terminating Bannon from the case or exonerating his bail, the government does oppose Bannon’s request that the indictment itself be dismissed as to him,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos wrote in a two-page motion.

(Snip)


Citing the case Nixon v. United States for that proposition, prosecutors italicized the punishment to emphasize that the pardon does not wash away the grand jury’s allegations.

“The fact that Bannon was pardoned does not extinguish the fact that a grand jury found probable cause to believe that he committed the offenses set forth in the Indictment, nor does it undercut the evidence of his involvement therein which the Government expects to elicit as part of its presentation at trial,” their letter states. “Were the Court to dismiss the Indictment against Bannon, it could have a broader effect than the pardon itself, among other things potentially relieving Bannon of certain consequences not covered by the pardon.”

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/federal-prosecutors-oppose-dismissing-steve-bannons-indictment-despite-trump-pardon-heres-why/

[Hortensis]

1. "A pardon...mitigates or sets aside punishment for a crime."

Punishment is what's "pardoned?" I don't know if I ever took in that little detail.

As for "potentially relieving Bannon of certain consequences not covered by the pardon," we certainly wouldn't want that.

[theneworiginal]

3. it also assumes conviction which can't have happened without a court judgment.

I have mixed feelings about pardoning Bannon for fleecing Trump supporters about the Wall. I kinda laughed that he led all those lambs to the slaughter, bilking the TrumpCult out of millions. It's so emblematic that the whole thing was just a scam.

[Hortensis]

5. :) No sympathy for them here either, which is just another reason

I'd like the whole thing, trial, conviction, prison as public and transparent as possible. Vindictive as many undoubtedly are, none of them want their noses rubbed in the massive corruption so typical of the trumpists.

But here's to hearing about other "certain consequences" on the evening news.

[TheRickles]

2. Translation, please!

What are those "certain consequences not covered by the pardon"? IANAL, obviously.

[neohippie]

6. my guess is something like civil liability supported by the finding of guilt

The pardon, absolves the criminal punishment, but it doesn't absolve guilt, and often guilt in a criminal trial is used to support liability in civil suits that may be filed by people, because of the proof of harm due to fraud produced by the actions that are proven to have happened

[TheRickles]

9. Makes sense. Thank you!

[twodogsbarking]

4. Arrest him

and give him a bath.

[nature-lover]

7. Lol! He always looks like he needs one.

[twodogsbarking]

10. Because he does.

Peace

[SayItLoud]

8. Wonder how Bannon's partners feel about being left out of the pardon party. NT