Navarro, ex-Trump adviser, guilty of contempt by Congress.
Former Trump Aide Peter Navarro Convicted of Contempt of Congress
A federal jury in Washington has delivered a verdict, finding former Trump aide Peter Navarro guilty of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress. This comes after Navarro refused to comply with a congressional subpoena.
The jury reached their decision after just a few hours of deliberation on September 7. The trial began with jury selection on September 5.
Interestingly, when the verdict was read, Navarro, who served as President Donald Trump’s White House trade adviser, showed no visible reaction.
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Navarro’s attorney, Stanley Woodward of Brand Woodward Law in Washington, promptly moved for a mistrial before Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014. Woodward cited the presence of protesters outside the courthouse, with one allegedly “accosting” his client.
However, the judge did not rule on the mistrial motion before adjourning the court.
Following the verdict, both supporters and opponents of Navarro gathered outside the courthouse, making their voices heard.
The Epoch Times reached out to Navarro’s legal team for comment, but they declined to provide a statement.
Navarro was indicted for contempt of Congress in June 2022 after failing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 Select Committee, which was active during the previous Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
One count of contempt stemmed from Navarro’s failure to produce requested documents, while the other count was related to his failure to appear for a deposition. If convicted, he could face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
Navarro’s attorney, Woodward, stated on September 6 that he is prepared to file an appeal if his client is convicted.
The congressional committee was investigating the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, which caused a delay in the certification of the 2020 presidential election. They wanted to question Navarro about his “Green Bay Swamp” plan, outlined in a book he wrote after leaving the Trump administration, which proposed delaying the certification of Joe Biden as the election winner.
Following a series of party-line votes in the Democrat-run House, the charges were referred to the U.S. Department of Justice. Attorney General Merrick Garland decided to formally institute the charges, leading to the federal court proceedings.
Critics have criticized the congressional committee, claiming it is biased and politically motivated. The committee issued subpoenas to numerous former White House aides, including Navarro and Steve Bannon, a former strategist for President Trump.
In July 2022, a federal jury found Bannon guilty of one count of contempt for refusing to appear for a deposition and another count for failing to produce subpoenaed documents. He was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to pay a $6,500 fine. Bannon is currently appealing the decision and has not yet begun serving his sentence.
Like others in Trump’s inner circle, Navarro argued that his communications with the former president and his staff were protected by executive privilege, which allows a president to keep official documents confidential.
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