Jury choice started Tuesday within the case towards former Trump White House official Peter Navarro, who was charged with contempt of Congress after he refused to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Navarro, a former economics professor, served as a White House staffer underneath then-President Donald Trump and later promoted the Republican’s baseless claims of mass voter fraud within the 2020 election he misplaced. Navarro has mentioned that Trump invoked govt privilege, barring him from cooperating with the House Jan. 6 committee. His trial is anticipated to final via the top of the week.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has dominated Navarro’s govt privilege argument isn’t a protection towards the costs, discovering that Navarro hadn’t proven proof Trump invoked it.
Navarro was charged final 12 months with two misdemeanor contempt counts, one for failing to look for a deposition earlier than the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault and a second for failing to supply paperwork the committee requested. Each rely is punishable by as much as a 12 months behind bars.
Navarro, who has pleaded not responsible, was the second Trump aide to face legal fees after former White House adviser Steve Bannon. Bannon was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress and was sentenced to 4 months behind bars, although he has been free pending attraction.
Trump faces a federal indictment in Washington, D.C., and a state indictment in Georgia over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, a Democrat. He has denied wrongdoing and has mentioned he was appearing inside the legislation.
PHOTOS: Jury choice begins in contempt case towards ex-Trump White House official Peter Navarro
The House Jan. 6 committee’s remaining report mentioned Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful outcomes of the 2020 election and did not act to cease his supporters from attacking the Capitol.
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