A federal grand jury charged Peter Navarro, a former White House adviser to former President Donald Trump who ignored a subpoena to disclose material to the House committee investigating the Capitol attack, on counts of contempt of Congress on Friday.
The indictment, filed in Federal District Court in Washington, was the first time an official from Trump's White House was accused in connection with the attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
Former Trump Adviser Faces Contempt Charges
Navarro, 72, was charged with a misdemeanor process offense after failing to attend for a deposition or submit documents to congressional investigators in response to a subpoena issued by the House committee on February 9. According to the indictment, he faces two counts of criminal contempt, each of which carries a potential term of one year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.
Per New York Times, Navarro did not immediately reply to a request for comment after being detained and brought into federal detention. On Friday afternoon, he appeared in court on his own behalf, telling a federal magistrate judge that the congressional subpoena he had been handed was "illegal and unenforceable."
Navarro stated in court Friday that he was held at the airport on his way to Nashville for a television appearance, later informing reporters it was for a show hosted by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. He was freed without bond and told to appear in court in Washington, DC on June 17, NBC News reported.
The government has confirmed in a court statement that notifying Navarro of his arrest ahead of time "would allow the Defendant the chance to escape, tamper with witnesses or evidence, or take other efforts to interfere with the criminal prosecution."
According to the grand jury indictment, Navarro is a "private individual" who never appeared before the House committee or requested an extension of time after being subpoenaed. In April, the House decided to report Navarro to the Justice Department for contempt. According to the committee, Navarro, a trade adviser during the Trump administration, was instrumental "in the ex-campaign president's to reverse the 2020 election."
Navarro Claims He Was Prohibited From Speaking to the Committee
Navarro said that executive privilege barred him from speaking to the committee and that he would only do so if Trump gave him permission. The Jan. 6 committee observed that Navarro has openly boasted about his intentions to overturn election results, and that he wrote a book last year referring to the idea as the "Green Bay Sweep." Navarro has also publicly stated that Trump is "on board with the approach."
The House of Representatives voted in April to hold Navarro and former Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dan Scavino in contempt of Congress and recommend them to the Justice Department for prosecution, citing their unwillingness to comply with the subpoena.
During his arraignment, Navarro stated that he would represent himself pro se and claimed "prosecutorial misconduct," noting that he was not permitted to make a phone call while in jail. On the day before the grand jury accepted the charge against him, Navarro penned an op-ed in the conservative Washington Times labeling the select committee a "kangaroo court," as per Independent.
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