Lawyer asks out of representing Steve Bannon -- because he might be a witness at his trial

An attorney representing former Trump White House political strategist Steve Bannon is seeking to be let off handling the case.

Reuters reports that attorney Robert Costello has delivered a filing to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in which he outlines a significant conflict of interest that he will have in representing Bannon going forward.

"Since it appears there will be a trial, and since it appears that at this point in time I might be called as a witness, I must reluctantly ask the Court to grant my request to withdrawal as trial counsel for... Bannon," Costello wrote in explaining his request.

Bannon was indicted by the United States Department of Justice for criminal contempt of Congress last year when he flatly refused to provide any cooperation with the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riots.

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In justifying its decision to refer Bannon for criminal contempt charges, the Select Committee outlined all of the ways that the former Trump adviser was connected to the deadly riots that caused lawmakers to flee for their lives.

"Mr. Bannon appears to have had multiple roles relevant to this investigation, including his role in constructing and participating in the 'stop the steal' public relations effort that motivated the attack, his efforts to plan political and other activity in advance of January 6th, and his participation in the events of that day from a 'war room' organized at the Willard InterContinental Washington D.C. Hotel," the committee explained last year. "Although he was a private citizen not employed by the White House at the time, he reportedly spoke with Mr. Trump directly regarding the plans for January 6th on at least one occasion."