Jury selection begins on Monday in the criminal trial of Steve Bannon, a former presidential aide to Donald Trump, who faces charges that he defied a congressional subpoena from the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by Trump's supporters.
Bannon, 68, is facing two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress after he declined to provide testimony or documents to the House of Representatives committee.
Bannon has unsuccessfully tried to persuade US District Judge Carl Nichols to delay his trial, arguing that the committee's high-profile televised hearings could make it harder for him to have a fair and impartial jury.
The committee presented evidence in a televised hearing last week that Bannon spoke with Trump at least twice on January 5, the day before the Capitol attack.
The committee also played a clip of Bannon saying "all hell is going to break loose tomorrow" on a right-wing talk show that day. He made those comments after his first call with Trump, the committee said.
Another hearing could be held this week, while the trial continues.
After Bannon was first charged in the case, he claimed he was unable to comply with the committee's request because the materials were covered by a legal doctrine known as executive privilege that keeps presidential communications confidential.
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