Ex-Trump Advisor Peter Navarro to Report to Federal Prison in Miami for Contempt of Congress Conviction
Former advisor to the 45th President of the United States, Peter Navarro, is set to begin serving his four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress. According to his legal team, Navarro must report to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Miami by March 19, 2024.
Navarro’s attorneys announced the reporting date in a court filing, referencing FCI Miami as a low-security prison located in Florida. The ex-advisor was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress earlier this year for defying a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Since his conviction, Navarro has attempted to delay reporting to prison while his appeal of the conviction moves forward. However, his efforts have been unsuccessful as US District Judge Amit P. Mehta denied his request to stay free and the federal appeals court in Washington, DC, is now considering a similar application.
Navarro’s legal team argues that Mehta’s denial of his right to assert executive privilege at trial was a mistake and that the potential reversal of this decision by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals justifies keeping him out of prison while his case is being reviewed. They stated in the filing that:
“Dr. Navarro’s challenge to the district court’s determinations with respect to executive privilege and/or precluding Dr. Navarro from asserting executive privilege as a defense at trial are complicated issues rife with ‘close questions’ or questions, ‘that very well could be decided the other way.’”
However, the Justice Department has countered Navarro’s arguments, stating that they are “meritless” and not likely to change the outcome of his criminal case.
Navarro’s legal team also emphasized that the potential reversal of Mehta’s decision on executive privilege could have significant implications for future contempt proceedings and the balance of power between Congress and the Executive Branch. They argued that, “Dr. Navarro’s appeal implicates a constitutional question of significant public importance.”
Despite these arguments, the federal appeals court has yet to rule on Navarro’s request for a stay. If his appeal is unsuccessful and the DC Circuit Court of Appeals does not grant him a stay, Navarro will be required to report to FCI Miami as ordered by Judge Mehta.
