Former Trump Trade Adviser Peter Navarro Convicted of Contempt of Congress
Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to President Donald Trump, has been found guilty of contempt of Congress for his refusal to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the 2021 US Capitol riot. Navarro faces potential imprisonment for up to a year for each of the two contempt charges brought against him.
Navarro was accused of defying a subpoena from a congressional investigation, with prosecutors arguing that he acted “above the law” by refusing to comply. He did not provide any documents, emails, or testimony to the Democrat-led House panel that had issued the subpoena.
The committee sought to question Navarro regarding his involvement in efforts to delay the certification of the 2020 election, as testified by a former staff director for the panel in court.
Navarro was indicted in June 2022 and later arrested by FBI agents at a Washington airport while boarding a flight to Nashville, Tennessee.
During the trial, prosecutors emphasized the significance of the case, framing it as a relatively straightforward matter with broad implications. They argued that Navarro’s decision not to comply with the subpoena demonstrated his prioritization of loyalty to former President Trump over legal obligations.
Navarro’s defense contended that the evidence did not establish willful non-compliance on his part.
Initially, Navarro had cited executive privilege, claiming that former President Trump had instructed him to do so when contacted by the committee. However, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that there was no evidence to support Navarro’s assertion that executive privilege justified ignoring the committee’s summons.
Peter Navarro served as a senior trade adviser throughout Trump’s presidency and was a member of the Covid-19 task force. He had openly discussed his involvement in a plan to overturn the election results on January 6, 2021, which he referred to as the “Green Bay Sweep.”
In addition to the potential one-year prison sentences for each contempt charge, Navarro could face fines of up to $100,000 (£80,000). His sentencing is scheduled for January.
This case follows the conviction of another key Trump ally, former strategist Steve Bannon, who was found guilty of two counts of contempt in July 2022 for defying the committee’s legal summons. Bannon was sentenced to four months in jail but remains free pending the appeal of his conviction. Visit thedailycourierng for more news.