WASHINGTON – Peter Navarro, adviser to Donald Trump was convicted followed by arrest conviction after a federal appeals court asked the Supreme Court to intervene because it defied a congressional subpoena was rejected an offer to suspend his four-month prison sentence.
In an urgent application given At the Supreme Court hearing Friday evening, Navarro’s lawyers said his case was “the first time in our nation’s history” that “a top adviser to the president has been found guilty of contempt of Congress after obtaining executive privilege over a congressional subpoena.” The subpoena was issued by the January 6 committee of the House of Representatives in February 2022.
The Supreme Court said the Justice Department had until 2 p.m. Monday to respond to Navarro’s petition, and he was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons in Miami by 2 p.m. Tuesday.
A three-judge panel said this week that Navarro has “not presented a substantial case of law or fact that would result in a sentence that does not include reversal, a new trial, prison time or a reduced sentence.” this is less than the time already provided and the expected duration of the appeal process.”
Navarro, who has denied the election and has been involved in Trump’s efforts to overturn the former president’s election loss based on long-debunked conspiracy theories, was subpoenaed by the committee Jan. 6 and declined to testify or provide documents. He was found guilty in September and sentenced in January.
“You are not a victim,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said in sentencing Navarro. “You are not the object of political persecution – you are not. You’ve got every process you need.”
Lawrence Hurley contributed.