Judge orders Steve Bannon to explain why he switched attorneys close to fraud trial
Steve Bannon must appear in court next week to explain why he switched lawyers so close to trial, a judge in New York ordered.
Bannon, once a senior adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, is scheduled to stand trial Feb. 25 on charges he defrauded donors of "We Build the Wall," an online fundraising campaign to support a wall along the U.S. southern border.
Bannon hired Arthur Aidala after his prior attorneys moved to withdraw from the case and Judge April Newbauer said she wanted to "make an inquiry of the defendant" before she decided whether to allow it.
Aidala asked the judge to delay the trial's start to give him time to read up on the case, insisting Bannon was "not looking to intentionally delay anything."
The Manhattan district attorney's office saw it differently, arguing Bannon was "trying to make a substitution of counsel for the purpose of delay."
Bannon's money laundering and conspiracy case was originally scheduled for trial in 2023 but has been repeatedly delayed.
When trial does begin, prosecutors said they would ask for an anonymous jury.
A six-count indictment in 2022 charged Bannon and "We Build the Wall" itself with two counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison. There are additional felony counts of conspiracy and scheme to defraud along with one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to defraud.
Bannon has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
