Capitol Riots: Former Trump advisor charged with contempt

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Trump's former White House aide Peter Navarro has been charged with contempt of Congress, and subsequently arrested, for refusing to cooperate with last year's investigation into the Capitol riot

Navarro would be the second Trump aide, after Steve Bannon, to be arrested after defying a legal summons from the congressional committee investigating the attack. In turn, Navarro accused the court and FBI of misconduct. 

Next week, the committee will be televising hearings regarding the inquiry. The investigating panel, which is made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, has interviewed over 1,000 witnesses.

The former aide could face up to two years in jail, or a fine.

Earlier today, Navarro condemned the arrest as FBI agents took him away at a Washington airport on his way to Tennessee. He was placed in handcuffs and leg irons when he was taken into custody. 

"Who are these people? This is not America," Navarro said in court, according to the Associated Press. "I was a distinguished public servant for four years!"

Furthermore, the panel also suggested pressing contempt charges against Dan Scavino and Mark Meadows, both Trump staff and chiefs. However, the Department of Justice refused to follow through with the suggestions. 

Read more: Trump aide Stephen Miller speaks to the 1/6 panel

 

Jan. 6 panel makes contempt case against former Trump aides

The House Select Committee investigating the US Capitol riot issued a report Sunday night recommending that former Trump advisors Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino face contempt of Congress charges for failing to comply with subpoenas.

According to Axios' Andrew Solender, this is the fourth time the panel has made such a recommendation about the Jan. 6, 2021 insurgency, a tactic they employ when hostile witnesses fail to comply with their subpoenas.

In its report, the panel stated that it had sought to accommodate Scavino by delaying his deposition six times since last September.

"Despite all these extensions, to date, Mr. Scavino has not produced a single document, nor has he appeared for testimony," the select committee wrote. Navarro did not appear for a deposition earlier this month.

"Mr. Navarro had a brief exchange with Select Committee staff after accepting service of the subpoena and also made public comments indicating that he would not appear or provide documents as required by the subpoena," the report states.

According to Solender, Scavino's subpoena notes his proximity to then-President Trump on Jan. 5, 2021, as the White House strategized how to persuade senators to overturn the election and during the attack on the Capitol.

According to the subpoena, Navarro planned to "launch a plan to delay" Congress' certification of the 2020 presidential election.

On the other hand, last Thursday, Navarro told Axios that the panel, which comprises two Republicans, has begun an "unprecedented partisan assault on executive privilege," which was invoked by former President Trump.