"I made it very clear at the outset": Judge stops Eastman trial to slam Steve Bannon for live stream

Steve Bannon was live streaming the hearing

By Sophia Tesfaye

Senior Politics Editor

Published September 15, 2023 10:01AM (EDT)

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon leaves the United States District Court House on the first day of jury selection in his trial for contempt of Congress, on July 18, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon leaves the United States District Court House on the first day of jury selection in his trial for contempt of Congress, on July 18, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

The judge presiding over John Eastman's disbarment trial in California stopped a hearing on Thursday to call out Steve Bannon's podcast for livestreaming from the courtroom. 

"I'm going to take just a minute to inform everyone about something that I just learned about," Judge Yvette Roland interjected during witness testimony, Raw Story reported. "I've been informed that the Bannon War Room is live-streaming this proceeding."

The former White House strategist under Donald Trump began his far-right podcast shortly after leaving the administration. It has since been flagged by researchers as the top purveyor of misinformation among podcasts. 

"But live streaming is not allowed," Judge Roland made clear. "And that goes for any and everyone."

Eastman, the conservative lawyer who devised a strategy to help maintain former President Donald Trump's hold on power, is also facing criminal charges in Georgia for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. 


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