Steve Bannon Confronts Republican Who 'Voted to Send Me to Prison'

Steve Bannon, a former White House senior adviser in the Donald Trump administration, confronted a Republican lawmaker who voted to hold him in contempt of Congress during a discussion about Kevin McCarthy's ousting as House speaker.

South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who was one of eight Republicans who joined 208 Democrats in voting to remove McCarthy in the historic ballot on Tuesday appeared on Bannon's War Room podcast alongside Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who brought forward the motion to vacate against McCarthy.

During the show, Gaetz hit out at suggestions that McCarthy was removed as House speaker because of a push from "hardliner" or "ultra-MAGA" Republicans, while noting that Mace, considered a moderate GOP lawmaker, was one of those who supported the plan to oust McCarthy.

"Let's talk about this for a moment. Okay? Nancy is not a hard-right intransigent lawmaker. But our Venn diagram overlaps around spending," Gaetz said.

Bannon then interrupts to ask: "Didn't she vote to send me to federal prison for four months?"

In October 2021, Mace was one of nine Republicans who voted to hold Bannon in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena issued to him by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack.

Bannon was later sentenced to four months in jail in October 2022 after being found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress for defying the congressional subpoena. Bannon is currently appealing the sentence and has not served any custodial time.

In response to Bannon's question, Mace said: "I like the Constitution. I'm a constitutionalist. Okay?"

"My appellate lawyer would disagree about that," Bannon replied.

Mace's office has been contacted for comment via email.

The removal of McCarthy has been met with dismay from many Republican figures. With no clear replacement in line, there is the potential of further chaos and infighting within the party as it attempts to rally behind one candidate.

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich accused the eight Republicans of being "traitors in a political sense."

"Gaetz and his accomplices have betrayed their colleagues by plunging the House into chaos," Gingrich told Newsweek. "They have been totally destructive to the conservative efforts to check this administration and do good things for the American people."

A similar sentiment was expressed by Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce, who said he would support a motion to remove Mace, Gaetz, and the other Republicans who supported the move to oust McCarthy from the GOP conference.

"If it was up to me, I'd vote for it," Joyce told CNN on Wednesday. "It's a waste of time having conversations with these people. And I think we need to start working and, going forward, as a unified group."

Ohio congressman Jim Jordan and Louisiana's Steve Scalise have confirmed their intention to bid to replace McCarthy as House speaker, with some GOP lawmakers indicating they will vote for Trump.