Bannon’s criminal contempt trial on track for next week

By ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge says the criminal contempt trial of Steve Bannon can start as scheduled next week and that the extensive media coverage of the onetime adviser to former President Donald Trump shouldn’t be a barrier to selecting an unbiased jury to hear the case. Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington had rejected a bid by Bannon’s lawyers to delay his trial, which is to start Monday with jury selection. Nichols made a similar ruling Thursday. He turned aside concerns from Bannon’s lawyers about a CNN report set to air on the eve of trial and about what they said were prejudicial comments made during a Jan. 6 committee hearing this week.