The Justice Department has charged Peter Navarro, White House trade adviser to former President Trump, with two counts of contempt of Congress.
The indictment carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $200,000 fine.
It follows Navarro’s decision to ignore subpoenas from the Jan. 6 committee.
As The New York Times reports:
Prosecutors say that Mr. Navarro, 72, was issued a subpoena by the House committee on Feb. 9, but failed to appear for a deposition or provide documents to congressional investigators. The indictment charges him with two counts of contempt that each carry a maximum sentence of a year in prison, as well as a fine of up to $100,000.
He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A former White House trade adviser who undertook extensive efforts to keep Mr. Trump in power after the 2020 election, Mr. Navarro is the second high-ranking former presidential aide to be charged with contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee. In November, Stephen K. Bannon, a former top aide to Mr. Trump, was indicted on similar charges.
The indictment against Mr. Navarro came nearly two months after the House voted on mostly party lines to recommend criminal charges against him. Lawmakers decided in the same vote to recommend a contempt indictment against another of Mr. Trump’s top aides, Dan Scavino Jr.
Navarro has repeatedly called the select committee investigating the U.S. Capitol attack illegitimate and has filed a lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
He bombastically told Fox News that any government prosecution of him would amount to “domestic terrorism.”
This article originally appeared in American Liberty News. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Republican Standard. Republished with permission.