A federal judge has formally rejected an attempt to overturn the criminal conviction of Steve Bannon, a former advisor to Donald Trump. Bannon was previously convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The legal challenge sought to dismiss the conviction, but the presiding judge ruled that the justifications provided were inadequate to warrant such an action. The court maintained that the original conviction, which stemmed from Bannon’s defiance of the committee’s demands for testimony and documents, remains standing for the time being.

While the Justice Department and Bannon’s legal team have navigated various procedural motions throughout the case, this specific ruling reinforces the initial jury verdict. The committee’s investigation into the Capitol riot has been a focal point of legal scrutiny, with Bannon’s case serving as a prominent example of the enforcement of congressional subpoenas. The judge’s decision ensures that the conviction remains in place as the legal process continues to unfold, rejecting arguments that the case should be tossed out at this stage.