Steve Bannon trial underway #shorts

The trial of Steve Bannon for contempt of congress is underway in DC. He's almost certain to be convicted, but the prosecution is political in its nature.

Bannon was subpoenaed by Congress to testify about his time in the White House and the Mueller report. He refused to answer questions, citing executive privilege and other reasons.

This case could set a precedent for whether or not executive privilege can be used as a shield from congressional subpoenas.

Bannon's lawyers have argued that if he were to answer questions about his time in the White House, he would be "complicit" in obstruction of justice charges against Trump, who has invoked executive privilege himself on multiple occasions.

They also argue that Congress does not have standing when it comes to investigating crimes committed by private individuals—like the president—and therefore cannot compel testimony from someone like Bannon who isn't employed by the government anymore.