Peter Navarro, an ex-White House aide to former President Trump, reported to a federal prison in Miami, making history as the first former White House official to be imprisoned for a contempt of Congress conviction, reports CNN. Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison for his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack. Before entering prison, Navarro spoke for 30 minutes at a gas station and called the case against him an “unprecedented assault on the constitutional separation of powers.” He claimed that the legal tactics that were used against him would be used against Trump: “I am pissed – that’s what I am feeling right now.”
Navarro concluded: “God bless you all, see you on the other side.”
His conviction was a rare example of a member of Trump’s inner circle being held accountable by the criminal justice system for their resistance to scrutiny. Navarro’s stint in prison comes as Trump has yet to face criminal consequences for various crimes he’s been accused of committing. “It’s historic, and will be to future White House aides who get subpoenaed by Congress,” said Stanley Brand, a former House general counsel who now represents Navarro. Navarro’s punishment for evading a House probe will boost the leverage lawmakers will have – under administrations of both parties – to secure cooperation in their investigations.
In this case, the Justice Department took the uncommon step of prosecuting a former White House adviser for blowing off a congressional subpoena, at Congress’ prompting after holding Navarro in criminal contempt and referring him to the Department of Justice.
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