(DCWatchdog.com) – In a decision that is all but certain to be reviewed by the United States Supreme Court, Peter Navarro, a former adviser to President Trump, has been handed a four-month prison sentence for his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the House January 6 Committee.
This development follows his indictment by a federal grand jury in June 2022, a decision triggered by a House vote referring his case to the Justice Department earlier that year.
The Committee sought information from Navarro due to his close ties with Steve Bannon, a key strategist behind the efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results.
Navarro’s legal battle climaxed in early September when he was convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress. He had attempted to shield himself from testifying by invoking executive privilege, a move that ultimately proved unsuccessful.
Following his conviction, Navarro, 74, remained defiant, stating, “I am willing to go to prison to settle this issue. I’m willing to do that. But I also know that the likelihood of me going to prison is relatively small because we are right on this issue.”
Presiding over the case, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta made it clear that executive privilege cannot be used as a blanket defense. “The words executive privilege are not magical incantations,” he said. “It’s just not, it’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card.”
Despite acknowledging Navarro’s professional achievements, Judge Mehta expressed his disappointment in Navarro’s actions.
“I have a great deal of respect for your client and what he’s achieved professionally, I do,” Mehta remarked. “Which makes it all the more disappointing, the way he behaved.”
Prosecutors from the Department of Justice argued that Navarro’s refusal to comply with the subpoena represented a choice to put loyalty to former President Trump above the rule of law.
They emphasized the gravity of the January 6 Capitol riot, describing it as an attack on the foundational rule of law in the U.S.
The DOJ requested the maximum six-month sentence and a $200,000 fine in their sentencing memo, comparable with Navarro’s request for six months probation and a $200 fine.
