War Room host Stephen K. Bannon will appear in court Tuesday for a final pretrial hearing before an upcoming criminal fraud trial. Bannon, 70, faces charges tied to a private fundraising effort that raised over $15 million to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall privately after Congress held up government efforts to do so.
Bannon has pleaded not guilty, challenging accusations by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, who alleges that Bannon misled donors by promising every dollar would fund the wall while transferring funds to cover expenses for Brian Kolfage, the fundraising effort’s chief executive. Kolfage, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran, had publicly stated he would take no salary. Bannon’s legal team maintains that the payments covered legitimate expenses.
While Trump pardoned Bannon on federal charges in January 2021, presidential pardons do not cover state-level prosecutions.
After a separate contempt of Congress conviction for not complying with the corrupt January 6 Committee, Bannon recently completed a four-month federal sentence, resuming his podcast and asserting his commitment to hold the establishment accountable. His trial is currently set to begin on December 9.
