Federal Appeals Court Upholds Peter Navarro’s Conviction for Contempt of Congress
In a significant legal development, a federal appeals court has confirmed the conviction of Peter Navarro, a former White House adviser, who refused to comply with a subpoena from a House committee probing the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The decision was made by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The panel concluded that Navarro failed to demonstrate that former President Donald Trump had invoked executive privilege to protect him from the subpoena’s demands. Judge Patricia Millett, writing for the panel, stated, “In short, Dr. Navarro has acknowledged that even if executive privilege had been invoked, that would not have excused his categorical failure to comply with the Select Committee’s subpoena.”
Navarro, who served as a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, completed a four-month prison sentence for his conviction of contempt of Congress. Despite his claims that executive privilege was invoked, the courts found insufficient evidence to support this assertion.
In connection with the events of January 6, Navarro was subpoenaed to provide documents and testify before the committee in March 2022. However, he did not comply with these requests, citing the alleged executive privilege.
After being convicted by a Washington jury in September 2023 for two counts of contempt of Congress, Navarro reported to a federal prison in Miami in early 2024. Following his release, he appeared at the Republican National Convention, where he stated, “I went to prison so you won’t have to.” Nevertheless, he continued to pursue an appeal against his conviction.
The panel that heard Navarro’s appeal comprised Judges Cornelia Pillard and J. Michelle Childs, alongside Judge Millett. Millett and Pillard were appointed by former President Barack Obama, while Childs was nominated by President Joe Biden. The original sentence was handed down by District Judge Amit Mehta, also an Obama appointee.
