Judge April Newbauer has allowed a seven-day delay in the state case of War Room host Stephen K. Bannon in New York. Bannon, accused of defrauding supporters of the ‘We Build the Wall’ initiative, had been scheduled to stand trial February 25, but this has now been adjourned to March 4.
Discussing the possibility of a delay, Newbauer initially grilled Bannon on the fact he has changed his legal team. Previously, the court accused Bannon of “trying to make a substitution of counsel for the purpose of delay.” However, the former Chief Strategist to the first Trump administration argued that, having been subject to a long-running, politically motivated lawfare campaign, he needs lawyers who are “more aggressive” and willing to “use every tool in the tool box.”
Bannon’s new lawyer, Arthur Aidala, insisted he would never allow himself to be used as a tool to delay a trial, and that his intent was to clear his client’s name. He said he would like the trial to be delayed to March 24 or 25, to give him more time to comb through “terrabytes” of new prosecution evidence.
Newbauer said that, already having a 2021 case to try, said she would allow an adjournment to March 4, and that a Friday deadline for responding to motions would be extended to Tuesday, February 28.
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