A federal grand jury Friday indicted former White House adviser Peter Navarro on two counts of contempt of Congress. A Justice Department statement said the charges follow Navarro’s failure to comply with a House Select Committee subpoena. The committee is investigating the January 6 Capitol riot.
A subpoena was issued by the House committee on February 9, ordering him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee on February 23. He was further required to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee on March 2.
The adviser to former President Donald Trump declined to appear, asserting executive privilege applied to his West Wing duties. Navarro said he would testify if Trump would waive privilege, arguing that President Joe Biden lacked authority to waive executive privilege attached to a different president.
Navarro and Bannon formed a strategy to overturn the election on January 6, known as the “Green Bay sweep.” In his book, “In Trump Time,” Navarro claims to have coordinated with Republican legislators to object to election results on January 6 when Congress was constitutionally required to count electoral votes. That certification was the final procedural step required to finalize President Biden’s electoral count victory.
The Select Committee reportedly informed the former Trump adviser that even when potential executive privilege exists, witnesses must appear and invoke them. They further explained he was required to answer questions not covered by privilege, such as contacts with members of Congress, Bannon or others outside the White House.
Tuesday, according to a Politico report, Navarro filed a lawsuit requesting the Washington, D.C., District Court to prevent the Justice Department from enforcing Grand Jury Subpoena #GJ2022052590979. District Judge Randy Moss apparently did not issue the requested injunctive relief based on Friday’s enforcement action.
According to a report in Above The Law, Navarro failed to include a request for emergency relief in his 88-page legal complaint.
Contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail and a maximum fine of $100,000.
Source From: Resist The Mainstream
