Former Trump White House aide Peter Navarro convicted of contempt of US Congress

The former trade adviser to president Donald Trump when he was in the White House has been convicted by a jury of contempt of the United States Congress.

He had faced charges for not complying with a subpoena issued by the committee which last year investigated the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th 2021 by supporters of Mr Trump.

Mr Navarro is the second aide to the former president to be prosecuted for failing to cooperate with the January 6th committee.

Steve Bannon was last year convicted also on charges of contempt of Congress and sentenced to four months in prison. His case is currently being appealed.

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A jury in Washington deliberated for about four hours on Thursday before finding Mr Navarro, 74, guilty of two counts of contempt for refusing to testify before the House January 6th committee and turn over subpoenaed documents.

US district judge Amit Mehta scheduled his sentencing for January 12th next year.

The two counts each carry a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in prison, in addition to a maximum fine of $100,000.

Federal prosecutor Elizabeth Aloi told the jurors in closing arguments on Thursday that “the defendant choose allegiance to former president Trump over compliance with the subpoena”.

“That is contempt. That is a crime.”

Mr Navarro said in advance of the trial that he did not have to comply with the committee’s subpoena because Mr Trump had invoked executive privilege.

This is a legal doctrine in the US system that protects some presidential records and communications from disclosure.

The verdict in Mr Navarro’s case in federal court in Washington came after a trial that featured just a single day of evidence from prosecution witnesses – former staff members who served on the congressional committee that investigated the events surrounding January 6th.

The defence did not call any witnesses or present any evidence.

[ Former Trump aide appears in US court on contempt charges ]

Defence lawyer Stanley Woodward sought a mistrial, arguing that the jurors had taken an outdoor break near where protesters and media regularly gathered close to the federal courthouse and came back with a verdict shortly after.

The judge did not immediately rule, but said he would consider written arguments on the issue.

The House of Representatives committee in January 6th finished its work earlier this year with a final report which found that Mr Trump had criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 election and that he had failed to prevent his supporters from attacking the Capitol.

The former president is facing criminal trial in a federal case in Washington and a state case in Georgia with regard to attempts to remain in power following the 2020 election. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty.