“On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected the request to delay the prison sentence of former Trump administration official Peter Navarro as he appeals his conviction for contempt of Congress.
Navarro is set to commence a four-month prison term on Tuesday for misdemeanor charges resulting from his refusal to cooperate with a congressional probe into the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He had sought to remain free while his conviction underwent appeal.
Navarro has argued that he couldn’t comply with the committee’s demands because former President Donald Trump had asserted executive privilege. However, lower courts dismissed this assertion, stating Navarro failed to prove Trump’s invocation of executive privilege.”
The order issued on Monday by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, responsible for handling emergency applications from Washington, D.C., stated that he finds “no basis to disagree” with the appeals court ruling.
However, he clarified that this determination does not impact the eventual outcome of Navarro’s appeal. Navarro’s attorney, Stanley Woodward, chose not to provide a comment.
Navarro, formerly a White House trade adviser, becomes the second Trump associate convicted of misdemeanor contempt of Congress charges.
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon had previously received a four-month sentence but was granted permission to remain free pending appeal by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump.
Navarro was found in contempt of court for failing to comply with a subpoena requesting documents and a deposition from the House Jan. 6 committee. Despite Navarro’s attempts to postpone his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, appointed by President Barack Obama, rejected his plea, which was subsequently upheld by the federal appeals court in Washington.
In a separate matter, the Supreme Court is preparing to consider arguments regarding whether Trump, himself, is entitled to presidential immunity from allegations of interference in the 2020 election.