The Justice Department moved to dismiss the criminal case against former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, while health officials in Washington, D.C., warned of potential measles exposures, including at the March for Life rally. In other news, Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right during a congressional appearance, and U.S. Olympian Hunter Hess responded to criticism from former President Trump.
The Justice Department requested the dismissal of the criminal case against Steve Bannon, who was jailed for refusing to testify before the House Jan. 6 committee. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro stated that the government decided dismissing the case was "in the interests of justice," and asked a judge to dismiss the indictment with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. Bannon, a media personality and former White House chief strategist, was convicted of contempt of Congress after declining to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 panel. He spent approximately four months in prison in 2024, according to CBS News.
In Washington, D.C., health officials alerted the public to potential measles exposures across the city, including at the annual National March for Life rally on January 23. DC Health reported multiple confirmed measles cases, with carriers visiting various locations while contagious. The CDC noted that the U.S. is experiencing four times as many measles cases in a few weeks than it typically averages in a whole year, according to ABC News.
Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a virtual appearance before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Her lawyer indicated she would be willing to cooperate with the panel's probe if President Trump granted her clemency, and would testify that the president is "innocent of any wrongdoing," according to CBS News. Chairman James Comer expressed disappointment after the deposition, stating, "As expected, Ghislaine Maxwell took the Fifth and refused to answer any questions."
U.S. Olympian Hunter Hess responded to criticism from former President Trump, who had called him "a real loser." Hess, a freestyle skier, stated in a social media post, "I love my country," and added, "There is so much that is great about America, but there are always things that could be better." He also emphasized the importance of unity, saying, "The best part of the Olympics is that it brings people together, and when so many of us are divided we need that more than ever," according to CBS News.
In other developments, as a ransom deadline neared for Nancy Guthrie, experts noted that investigators were still trying to determine if the demands were legitimate. The family, including Guthrie's daughter, "Today" host Savannah Guthrie, was given a deadline to pay a ransom in bitcoin, according to ABC News.
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