❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senior Counselor to the President for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro has asked a federal appeals court to compel the Department of Justice (DOJ) to explain why it no longer supports his 2022 conviction for defying a subpoena from the January 6 committee.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Peter Navarro, President Donald J. Trump, the DOJ, and federal prosecutors.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The filing was made on Sunday night to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
💬KEY QUOTE: “DOJ told the courts my appeal raised no substantial questions, forcing me to surrender and lose four months of freedom. Now the same DOJ attorney of record wants to yank his own brief. You don’t make that pivot unless serious constitutional questions exist.” – Peter Navarro
🎯IMPACT: The case could set a precedent on the separation of powers and the immunity of White House advisers from congressional subpoenas.
Peter Navarro, Senior Counselor to President Donald J. Trump for Trade and Manufacturing, filed a request with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Sunday night, demanding an explanation from the Department of Justice (DOJ) for its decision to stop defending his conviction for contempt of Congress. Navarro was convicted in 2022 for defying a subpoena from the corrupt former House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.
In his 13-page filing, Navarro argued that the DOJ’s abrupt withdrawal undermines transparency and fairness in the legal process. The filing also raised concerns about the constitutional implications of prosecuting senior White House advisers for contempt of Congress, particularly regarding executive privilege, immunity, and separation of powers.
Navarro was subpoenaed in 2022 for his role in allegedly attempting to delay Congress’s certification of the 2020 election results. He claimed executive privilege shielded him from testifying, asserting that President Trump had invoked the privilege. However, the trial judge ruled that the privilege did not apply to the January 6 committee’s subpoena, leading to Navarro’s conviction on two counts of contempt of Congress.
After Trump returned to office and Navarro rejoined the White House, federal prosecutors revealed they no longer supported the Biden-era DOJ’s position and suggested appointing an external lawyer to defend the conviction. Navarro contended that the DOJ is obligated to provide a detailed explanation for its reversal, citing Supreme Court precedent aimed at guiding lower courts on such issues.
“DOJ told the courts my appeal raised no substantial questions, forcing me to surrender and lose four months of freedom. Now the same DOJ attorney of record wants to yank his own brief. You don’t make that pivot unless serious constitutional questions exist,” Navarro said in a statement.
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