Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to President Trump, has been convicted of two counts of criminal contempt of Congress in connection with his refusal to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A Washington, D.C. jury reached its guilty verdict after four hours of deliberation, just one day after the trial commenced. The charges stemmed from Navarro's failure to provide requested documents and comply with a subpoena issued by the House Jan. 6 Select Committee in the previous year.
Navarro had initially planned to argue that former President Donald Trump had invoked executive privilege, which would have shielded him from the subpoena. However, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Navarro had not met the necessary burden of proof to establish the invocation of executive privilege and, therefore, could not use it as a defense.
Navarro now faces potential penalties of up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000 for each count, with a minimum sentence of 30 days in prison for each offense.
During closing arguments, the Department of Justice contended that Navarro had consciously chosen to defy the committee's February 2022 subpoena, prioritizing loyalty to Trump over compliance with the legal requirement. DOJ prosecutor Elizabeth Aloi asserted that Navarro's actions reflected this choice.
Navarro, in response to the guilty verdict, expressed no surprise and stated that the die was cast when the judge ruled against his use of executive privilege as a defense. He indicated his intention to appeal the verdict and reiterated his willingness to go to prison to resolve the issue, but he believed the likelihood of such an outcome was minimal because he believed he was right on the matter.
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon, previously found guilty on two counts in July 2022, was sentenced to four months in prison but is currently free pending his appeal.
Navarro's sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024.
