Peter Navarro rejects plea deal in contempt case

Ryan King

July 15, 01:14 PM July 15, 01:14 PM

Former Trump White Property adviser Peter Navarro rejected a plea settlement present in his contempt of Congress circumstance, in accordance to a prosecutor.

Navarro pleaded not responsible to the two misdemeanor costs towards him final month, but he was provided an prospect to plead responsible to just a person count and comply with the subpoena from the Dwelling committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot "to the satisfaction of the Justice Department," Reuters documented.

NAVARRO PLEADS NOT Responsible TO CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS Rates

Federal prosecutor Elizabeth Aloi declared Navarro's refusal to settle for the offer at a position hearing on Friday before U.S. District Decide Amit Mehta.

Lawyers for Navarro rehashed their aggravation with the conditions of last month's arrest of Navarro, who experienced been taken into custody by FBI agents at Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport whilst preparing for a flight to Nashville.

"It is curious to me, at a least, why the governing administration dealt with Mr. Navarro's arrest the way it did," Mehta explained all through the hearing. "It's shocking that self-surrender was not presented as an chance."

Federal authorities have engaged in a back again and forth with Navarro regarding specifics of the arrest with the DOJ, rebuffing his assertion he was denied legal counsel, meals, and h2o in the course of the face.

During the court hearing, lawyers for Navarro also reportedly famous he is remaining prosecuted for defying a Residence Jan. 6 committee subpoena, but lawmakers have declined to prosecute former White House chief of employees Mark Meadows and former Deputy main of staff members Dan Scavino, equally of whom were held in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with subpoenas.

Navarro claimed he defied the subpoena the panel issued against him in February because former President Donald Trump asserted executive privilege, but the committee pointed out that President Joe Biden waived numerous of all those privilege promises.

Users have signaled they intend to inquire him about his "Eco-friendly Bay Sweep" strategy to problem the 2020 election that he has discussed in a lot of media interviews. Congress voted to keep him in contempt in April about his deficiency of compliance with the subpoena.

The Washington Examiner arrived at out to a Navarro spokesperson for remark. He is anticipated back again in court docket on Aug. 11 and will head to trial in the tumble.

Navarro is the next Trump ally to confront a prison contempt demand similar to the Jan. 6 committee after Steve Bannon was indicted final year. If convicted, Navarro could face up to a person year in jail and a fantastic of up to $100,000 for each demand.