Former Trump White House trade adviser Peter Navarro will begin serving a four-month sentence in Florida on Tuesday after Chief Justice John Roberts rejected his attempt to stay out of prison while he appeals his conviction for contempt of Congress. Navarro was charged and found guilty for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
In January, Navarro was sentenced and appealed both his conviction and the decision to enforce his sentence during the appeal process. He argued that he believed he was bound by executive privilege when he refused to comply with the committee’s demands, but the judge ruled that there was no evidence the privilege was invoked.
A three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Navarro’s bid to delay his sentence, stating that he was unlikely to secure a new trial or reverse his conviction. Despite his lawyers arguing to the Supreme Court that he is not a flight risk and should be allowed to remain free during his appeal, the Justice Department opposed his request for release, claiming he did not meet the standard for emergency relief.
Navarro warned that if he fails in his appeal, the constitutional separation of powers will be irreparably damaged. He is the first Trump administration official convicted of defying the Jan. 6 Committee to report to prison, as former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon had his prison term paused while he appeals his conviction.
The case has raised questions about the boundaries of executive privilege and the power of congressional subpoenas in investigations into the events of January 6. Navarro’s case will be closely watched as it unfolds in the coming months.
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