The US House of Representatives on Thursday voted to hold longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee probing the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

He could now face criminal prosecution for refusing to cooperate with the investigation.

The House voted 229 to 202, with nine Republicans joining Democrats to recommend the charges against Bannon, who served as chief strategist for the Republican former president.

"What sort of precedent would it set for the House of Representatives if we allow a witness to ignore us flat out without facing any consequences," Democrat Bennie Thompson, chairman of the Select Committee, said in debate before the vote.

On Tuesday, the select committee unanimously voted in favor of the charges.

What happens next?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will now send a report to the Department of Justice for prosecution.

It will then be up to US Attorney General Merrick Garland to make the final decision on whether to prosecute Bannon.

Garland said on Thursday that the justice department would "apply the facts and the law" and make decisions "consistent with the principles of prosecution."

More than a dozen other Trump aides and rally organizers had been subpoenaed, but Bannon was alone in completely defying it.

The other witnesses were at least negotiating with lawmakers.

The Democrat-led panel hopes the threat of jail time and a heavy fine would encourage more cooperation with the hearings.

Contempt of Congress carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 (€86,000) fine.

The committee was created by House Democrats against the wishes of most Republicans.

Nevertheless, two of the committee's nine members — Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger — are Republicans and both have openly criticized Trump over his role in fomenting the insurrection.

adi/jsi (AP, Reuters)