Former Trump White House Official Peter Navarro Sentenced to Prison for Contempt of Congress
Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress. Navarro, who served as a trade adviser in the Trump administration, was convicted in September of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He is the second former Trump insider to be convicted and sentenced for contempt of Congress, following Steve Bannon.
Navarro’s Sentencing
During the sentencing, Judge Amit Mehta emphasized that Navarro had received due process and was not a victim of political prosecution. Mehta stated that Navarro’s obligation as an American was to cooperate with Congress and provide the requested information. Mehta also highlighted that Navarro’s actions had made the committee’s job more difficult and that the public could see the proceedings were fair. In addition to the prison sentence, Navarro was ordered to pay a $9,500 fine.
Prosecution’s Argument
Prosecutor John Crabb argued that Navarro believed he was above the law and brazenly defied Congress. Crabb stated that such behavior could not be tolerated and urged the court to impose a significant sentence.
Defense’s Argument
Navarro’s defense argued that executive privilege shielded him from having to testify or produce documents. They requested probation for Navarro and plan to appeal the conviction. Navarro, speaking against his attorney’s wishes, expressed his belief that executive privilege had been invoked and criticized the committee for not confirming it with former President Donald Trump or his attorneys.
Judge’s Ruling
Judge Mehta denied Navarro’s executive privilege defense, ruling that Navarro had not provided evidence that Trump directed him not to cooperate or invoked executive privilege. Mehta reiterated this point during the sentencing, stating that Navarro had failed to confirm that Trump had invoked the privilege regarding Navarro.
In conclusion, former Trump White House official Peter Navarro has been sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress. The court emphasized that Navarro had received due process and had an obligation to cooperate with Congress. The prosecution argued that Navarro believed he was above the law, while the defense claimed executive privilege shielded him from testifying. Judge Mehta ruled against the executive privilege defense and reiterated that Navarro had not provided evidence of Trump’s invocation of the privilege.