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u.s. news Diamars 16 November 2021

Trump ally Bannon appears in court on contempt charges

(AP) — Steve Bannon, a officials and ordered him to If the House votes to hold
longtime ally of former surrender his passport. He is Meadows in contempt, that
President Donald Trump, due back in court on Thurs- recommendation would also
appeared before a judge day. be sent to the Justice Depart-
on Monday to face crimi- ment for a possible indict-
nal contempt charges for If convicted, Bannon faces ment.
defying a subpoena from a a minimum of 30 days and
House committee investi- a maximum of one year be- Officials in both Democratic
gating January’s insurrec- hind bars on each count, and Republican adminis-
tion at the U.S. Capitol. prosecutors said. Outside the trations have been held in
courthouse, a large inflatable contempt by Congress, but
Bannon surrendered ear- rat made to look like former criminal indictments for con-
lier in the day to FBI agents. President Trump was on the tempt are exceedingly rare.
The 67-year-old was indicted sidewalk as reporters wait-
on Friday on two counts of ed for Bannon to leave the The indictment against Ban- host of the conspiracy-mind-
criminal contempt – one for courthouse. non comes after a slew of The indictment says Bannon ed “War Room” podcast, is a
refusing to appear for a con- Trump administration of- didn’t communicate with the private citizen who “refused
gressional deposition and the The indictment came as a ficials – including Bannon committee in any way from to appear to give testimony as
other for refusing to provide second expected witness, for- – defied requests and de- the time he received the sub- required by a subpoena,” the
documents in response to the mer White House Chief of mands from Congress over poena on Sept. 24 until Oct. indictment says.
committee’s subpoena. Staff Mark Meadows, defied the past five years with little 7 when his lawyer sent a let-
a separate subpoena from the consequence, including dur- ter, seven hours after the doc- When Bannon declined to
Bannon did not enter a plea committee on Friday and as ing an impeachment inquiry. uments were due. appear for his deposition in
during the hearing. Mag- Trump has escalated his le- President Barack Obama’s October, his attorney said the
istrate Judge Robin Meri- gal battles to withhold docu- administration also declined Bannon, who worked at the former Trump adviser had
weather released him with- ments and testimony about to charge two of its officials White House at the begin- been directed by a lawyer for
out bail but required him to the insurrection. who defied congressional de- ning of the Trump adminis- Trump citing executive privi-
check in weekly with court mands. tration and currently serves as lege not to answer questions.

Alex Jones liable for defamation in Sandy Hook ‘hoax’ case

(AP) - Infowars host and damages he should pay. been impartial. the case in favor of the fami- lies,” said Christopher Mat-
conspiracy theorist Alex lies. The jury will now deter- tei, a lawyer for relatives of
Jones was found liable Lawyers for the parents Shortly after the judge’s deci- mine the damages. eight of the victims who sued
Monday for damages in claimed Jones and his com- sion, Jones went on the air on Jones in Connecticut.
lawsuits brought by par- panies, including Infowars his show deriding the legal Twenty first-graders and six
ents of children killed in and Free Speech Systems, process surrounding the case. educators were killed in the Messages were left for par-
the Sandy Hook Elemen- violated court rules by fail- December 2012 shooting. ents of some of the children
tary School shooting over ing to turn over documents “These individuals, again, The gunman, 20-year-old killed in the shooting.
Jones’ claims that the mas- to them, including internal are not allowing me to have Adam Lanza, killed his moth-
sacre was a hoax. company documents show- a jury trial because they know er at their Newtown home A Texas judge recently issued
ing how, and if, Jones and the things they said I suppos- before the shooting, and similar rulings against Jones
Judge Barbara Bellis took the Infowars profited from talk- edly did didn’t happen,” he killed himself at the school as in three defamation lawsuits
rare step of defaulting Jones ing about the school shooting said. “They know they don’t police arrived, officials said. brought by Sandy Hook
in the defamation lawsuits and other mass shootings. have a case for damages. And families in that state, finding
for his and his companies’ so the judge is saying you are The shooting was portrayed Jones liable for damages after
“failure to produce critical A message seeking comment guilty of damages, now a jury on Jones’ Infowars show as a defaulting him and his com-
material information that the was sent to Jones’ lawyers. decides how guilty you are. hoax involving actors aimed panies for not turning over
plaintiffs needed to prove They have denied violating It’s not guilty until proven at increasing gun control. documents. Hearings on
their claims.” The default court rules on document guilty.” Jones has since acknowl- damages also were ordered.
means the judge found in disclosure and have asked edged the school shooting
favor of the parents and will that Bellis be removed from The ruling has the same out- did occur. In one of the lawsuits, a Texas
hold a hearing on how much the case, alleging she has not come as a jury determining judge in 2019 ordered Jones
Families of the victims said to pay $100,000 in legal fees
they have been subjected to and refused to dismiss the
harassment and death threats suit. And a jury in Wiscon-
from Jones’ followers be- sin awarded $450,000 to one
cause of the hoax conspiracy of the parents in his lawsuit
pushed on Infowars. They against conspiracy theorist
sued Jones and his companies writers, not including Jones,
for defamation and infliction who claimed the massacre
of emotional distress. The never happened.
hearing on damages before
a jury is expected to be held In the three Connecticut
next year. lawsuits, Jones previously
was sanctioned for violat-
“What’s clear from Judge ing numerous orders to turn
Bellis’ ruling is that Alex over documents and for an
Jones and the Jones defen- angry outburst on his web
dants have engaged in a long, show against Mattei. A judge
continuous course of mis- barred Jones from filing a
conduct in this case designed motion to the dismiss the
to prevent the plaintiffs from case — a ruling that was up-
getting evidence about Mr. held after being appealed all
Jones’ business and about his the way to the U.S. Supreme
motives for publishing lies Court, which declined to
about them and their fami- hear Jones’ appeal in April.