(NEW YORK) — Steve Bannon wants more aggressive lawyers to represent him when he stands trial on charges he defrauded donors to an online campaign to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, he argued in a court hearing Wednesday.
“I’ve been smeared by a political prosecution, persecution, for years and going to trial I need people who are more aggressive and will use every tool in the toolbox to fight this,” Bannon said.
Bannon, who was a White House strategist during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, pleaded not guilty in 2022 to charges he defrauded donors to the “We Build the Wall” online fundraising effort.
Prosecutors saw Bannon’s request on Wednesday as a gambit to delay trial.
“If there’s going to be request for delay because of the new attorneys coming in then we would oppose their entry,” prosecutor Jeffrey Levinson said.
Judge April Newbauer did not immediately relieve Bannon’s previous attorneys, but agreed to delay the trial by one week — to March 4 — to give Bannon’s new attorney, Arthur Aidala, time to get up to speed.
“This does not seem to upset anyone’s apple cart,” Newbauer said. “It does give new counsel a bit more time to prepare.”
Aidala pledged to be ready for trial by the date set.
“We will roll up our sleeves and get it done,” Aidala said.
The trial is expected to last about three weeks.
Bannon is accused of defrauding New York-based donors to the online fundraising campaign to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.
Bannon was initially charged with federal crimes, but received a pardon at the end of Trump’s first term.
He is expected back in court on Feb. 11.
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