Bennie Thompson

Mr. Bannon's testimony and document production are critical to the select committee's investigation.

They broke the law, and right now, the Justice Department is prosecuting a number of people. But I assure you, at the end of the day, the public will be shocked to know how close we came to losing our democracy if those insurrectionists…

For folks watching at home this evening, I want you to think about something, what would happen to you if you did what Mr. Bannon is doing? If you were a material witness in a criminal prosecution of some of the lawsuits, what would happen…

No one in this country, no matter how wealthy or how powerful, is above the law.

It's shocking that anyone would not do anything in their power to assist our investigation.

If you're thinking of following the path Mr. Bannon has gone down, you are on notice that this is what you will face, saying there is -- there are consequences to refusing to comply.

President Biden has already determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not in the public interest.

We are not aware of any basis for your client's refusal to appear for a deposition.

Your stated reasons for Mr. Bannon's flat refusal to provide documents and appear at a deposition have no legal basis or support.

Mr. Bannon has persisted in his refusal to produce any documents to the Select Committee.

The former President has not communicated any such assertion of privilege, whether formally or informally, to the Select Committee.

The Select Committee believes that this willful refusal to comply with the Subpoena constitutes a violation of Federal law.

The American people must know what happened. They must know the truth.

This is a prescription for national self-destruction.

You all know that there is no evidence of widespread election fraud sufficient to have changed the results of the election.

We all agree that America is the greatest Nation on the face of God's Earth.

Mr. Bannon will comply with our investigation or he will face the consequences.

If there is no accountability for these abuses, if there are different sets of rules for different types of people, then our democracy is in serious trouble.

There are bigger matters at stake. One of the major questions the Select Committee is dealing with is whether the rule of law will be able to endure as a pillar of American democracy.

It is essential that we get Mr. Bannon's factual and complete testimony in order to get a full accounting of the violence of January 6th and its causes.

Our goal is simple. We want Mr. Bannon to answer our questions.

We believe Mr. Bannon has information relevant to our probe, and we will use the tools at our disposal to get that information.

It is shocking to me, shocking that anyone would not do anything in their power to assist our investigation.

No one in this country, no matter how wealthy or how powerful, is above the law.

I made that clear in a letter to Mr. Costello this morning.