Former President Trump's White House trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has been ordered to report to federal prison in Miami by next Tuesday after his conviction on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress. Navarro was found guilty by a jury last year of defying a subpoena for documents and testimony from the now-defunct House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. After refusing to comply with the congressional request, the House of Representatives held him in contempt and referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., for prosecution. The former Trump adviser has appealed his conviction, stating that he didn't comply with the committee's demands because he believed he was restricted by executive privilege, CBS News reports.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta sentenced Navarro to four months in prison and rejected Navarro's request to remain free pending the appeal. Navarro's lawyers turned to the appeals court to keep him out of prison during the appeal process and said they could take the matter to the Supreme Court. On Thursday, a three-judge appeals panel rejected his emergency request to stay his sentence, further clearing the way for Navarro's prison term. The judges wrote that Navarro's argument is not likely to result in the reversal of his conviction. Prosecutors alleged that Navarro "acted like he was above the law" when he did not comply with the committee's order and "thumbed his nose" at their work. The judge, who took issue with Navarro's public comments about the case, told him during the January sentencing that asserting privilege is not "magical dust" or "a get-out-of-jail free card."