Trump Ally Peter Navarro Sentenced To Four Months In Prison For Contempt Of Congress For Refusing To Cooperate With Jan. 6 Committee

On Thursday morning, former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison for two charges of contempt of Congress following his refusal to cooperate with the congressional investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot.

The prosecution has asked U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta to deliver the sentence of six months with a fine of $600,000. Navarro’s counsel asked to have the sentence not exceed six months with a fine of $100,000.

Navarro argued that he did not have to cooperate due to former President Donald Trump‘s executive privilege rights, although Navarro never established that Trump had asserted the privilege in his case.

“The words executive privilege are not magical incantations,” Mehta said. “It’s just not, it’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card. I have a great deal of respect for your client and what he’s achieved professionally, I do. Which makes it all the more disappointing, the way he behaved.”

Mehta’s sentence implementation could be delayed as his attorneys have said they will appeal his conviction.

Navarro is the second aide to face contempt in Congress. Former top Trump strategist Steve Bannon was previously sentenced to four months in prison for defying a House select committee subpoena. Bannon is appealing the sentence but an appeals court panel sounded very skeptical of his lawyer’s arguments last month. Bannon’s lawyers are suing him for $480,000 in unpaid legal fees.