Steve Bannon, Federal Prosecutors Spar Over Pardon – By Corinne Ramey (The Wall Street Journal) / Mar 2 2021
Steve Bannon has asked a judge to dismiss a fraud indictment in New York because he was pardoned, setting up an unusual legal battle with the Manhattan federal prosecutors who say the clemency doesn’t extend to the grand jury’s determination that the former White House strategist committed a crime.
Former President Donald Trump in January pardoned Mr. Bannon, who had been charged in August—but not convicted—in connection with an alleged scheme to siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from a crowdfunding campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border—one of Mr. Trump’s signature promises. Mr. Bannon pleaded not guilty and was released after agreeing to a $5 million bond as he awaited trial.
Although the pardon was formally filed in the Manhattan federal court case, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres hasn’t dismissed the indictment against Mr. Bannon.
Robert Costello, a lawyer for Mr. Bannon, asked Judge Torres to dismiss the indictment and end his bail obligations in a letter he had sent the judge privately last month but only filed publicly in the court case on Tuesday.
