Peter Navarro Convicted of Criminal Contempt of Congress
Former Trump Advisor Faces Up to One Year in Prison
Navarro Defied House Committee's Subpoena
WASHINGTON - Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to President Donald Trump, was convicted Thursday of two counts of criminal contempt of Congress. The charges stem from Navarro's refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Navarro faces a maximum of one year in prison on each count. The jury reached its verdict after a two-week trial. Navarro's attorney, John Rowley, said he plans to appeal the verdict.
"We are disappointed with the verdict," Rowley said. "We believe that Mr. Navarro was acting within his rights and that the prosecution was politically motivated."
The House select committee issued subpoenas to Navarro and other Trump associates in an effort to gather information about the former president's role in the January 6 attack. Navarro refused to comply, claiming that the subpoena was overly broad and that he had immunity from prosecution.
The Justice Department argued that Navarro's claims were without merit and that he had a duty to comply with the subpoena. The jury agreed with the prosecution's arguments.
Navarro is the second Trump associate to be convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the January 6 committee. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon was convicted on similar charges in July and is currently serving a four-month prison sentence.
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