Ex-Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro convicted of contempt of Congress
- Navarro had refused to testify or turn over documents to the House panel investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol
- The charges carry a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail
Former US president Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro was found guilty on Thursday of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House of Representatives committee that investigated the 2021 attack on the Capitol.
A 12-member jury found Navarro guilty of two counts of contempt after he refused to testify or turn over documents to the Democratic-led House panel that investigated the January 6, 2021 riot by Trump supporters and broader attempts by Trump, a Republican, to reverse his 2020 election defeat.
Navarro said ahead of trial that he did not have to comply with the committee’s demand because Trump invoked executive privilege, a legal doctrine that shields some executive branch records and communications from disclosure.
But US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Navarro could not use this as a defence, finding that the defendant had not put forward evidence that Trump formally invoked executive privilege in response to the subpoena.
Defence lawyer Stanley Woodward was left to argue that Navarro’s failure to comply may have been an accident or a mistake.
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Navarro, wearing a dark suit and red tie, showed no visible reaction when the verdict was read aloud.