The January 6 panel unanimously voted to hold Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas

• The January 6 House select committee voted to hold Trump ally Steve Bannon in criminal contempt.
• Bannon repeated refused to comply with congressional subpoenas related to the panel's probe into the Capitol riot.

Members of the House select committee investigating the events of January 6 unanimously approved on Tuesday to hold Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas related to the probe.

The vote could compel Bannon, who served as former White House chief strategist, to comply with congressional subpoenas related to the Capitol riot investigation to avoid potential jail time if he continues not to cooperate.

"It's a shame that Mr. Bannon has put us in this position, but we won't take 'no' for an answer," Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said ahead of the vote. "We believe Mr. Bannon has information relevant to our probe, and we'll use the tools at our disposal to get that information."

Seven Democrats and two Republicans - all selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - make up the committee that unanimously voted to refer Bannon to the Justice Department for criminal contempt charges.

Rep. Adam Schiff first indicated the commission's intent to hold Bannon in criminal contempt earlier this week, and on Monday, the committee released its contempt report on Bannon, a copy of which was obtained by CNN.

In late September, the committee issued subpoenas on several key confidants close to former President Donald Trump "who were working in or had communications with the White House on or in the days leading up to the January 6th, insurrection," Thompson said in a press release.

Alongside Bannon, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Dan Scavino, and ex-official for the Defense Department Kash Patel were also asked to attend depositions.

On Tuesday evening, Schiff tweeted in response to the vote that Bannon was "given every opportunity to comply with a lawful subpoena," but "he chose instead to make specious claims of executive privilege."

"Tonight, we voted to hold him in criminal contempt," Schiff continued. "Despite what he and Trump may believe, no one is above the law."