Steve Bannon is a political prisoner, and the rule of law is dead

America’s rule of law is dead, and Democrats killed it. But in its wake, Bannon’s political imprisonment is a call to action.

Former top Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon was sentenced on Friday to four months in prison for ignoring a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 Committee. He is also being fined $6,500.

The chain of events is simple: Bannon refused to comply with the House select committee’s subpoena for documents and testimony because he argued it would violate President Donald Trump’s executive privilege. The Biden administration contested this argument, and the House of Representatives voted to hold Bannon in contempt of Congress last year.

The Bannon sentencing is unprecedented. Individuals are rarely prosecuted, let alone convicted and imprisoned, for being held in contempt of Congress. Ten years ago, then-Attorney General Eric Holder was held in contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena related to the Fast and Furious scandal in which, due to negligence, the United States government supplied a Mexican cartel with firearms that were used to terrorize and kill Mexican and American citizens. Even though the Fast and Furious scandal was far more deadly than the capital riot, Holder was never prosecuted for snubbing the Republican-led Congress. The last time someone was even charged with contempt of Congress was nearly 40 years ago, and the accused was cleared.