A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has declined—for now—to dismiss Steve Bannon’s contempt-of-Congress conviction, even after the Justice Department asked the court to vacate it. The ruling does not foreclose future relief; instead, it leaves open the possibility of a renewed motion with a fuller legal basis. But in the immediate term, the conviction remains on the books, preserving an unusual procedural posture in a high-profile criminal case.

Bannon was convicted for defying a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol.