Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon is set to report to the low-security federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut next month to begin serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. He had initially hoped to serve his time at a minimum-security prison camp, but a pending criminal case in New York prevents him from being eligible for that option. This case accuses him of defrauding donors in a fundraising effort related to a border wall between the US and Mexico.
In a recent legal filing, Bannon’s lawyers argued that his imprisonment during the summer months leading up to the November election would prevent him from being a meaningful advisor to the national campaign. The Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on Bannon’s specific situation, citing security and privacy reasons.
The facility in Danbury, where Bannon will be housed, accommodates a variety of inmates, including white-collar criminals, violent offenders, and sex offenders. It features an open pod layout for inmates, with a barrier separating the facility from the outside world known colloquially as “the wall.”
Bannon’s legal team is awaiting a decision from the DC Circuit this week on whether he can remain out of prison while appealing his case. Despite facing incarceration, Bannon remains closely connected to Trump’s political world and recently spoke at a conservative event in Detroit where he pledged consequences for Trump’s political opponents and federal law enforcement authorities in the event of Trump’s reelection.
Bannon is not the only former Trump adviser facing prison time, as Peter Navarro, another Trump associate, is also serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. Both men are consulting with a prison advisor to navigate their time behind bars.