Federal prosecutors want former Trump aide Peter Navarro to serve six months in prison for choosing “loyalty to former President Donald Trump over the rule of law” when he defied a subpoena from a House select committee Jan. 6.
Assistant US Attorney Elizabeth Aloi made that argument in a sentencing memo filed Thursday night and obtained by Politico.
Navarro was convicted in September on two counts of contempt of Congress and his sentencing is set for next week.
Aloi argued that Navarro “defied the authority of Congress and refused to comply” when he was served with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
“He has cloaked his malicious strategy of defiance and contempt behind baseless and baseless invocations of executive privilege and immunity that cannot and will not apply to his situation,” the memo said.
Peter Navarro speaks to reporters after attending a hearing in his contempt of Congress trial for refusing to cooperate with the HOP committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Reuters
“… The defendants, like the rioters in the Capitol, put politics, not the country, first, and obstructed Congressional investigations,” the memo also stated. “Defendant chose allegiance to former President Donald Trump over the rule of law even after being informed that executive privilege would not excuse his disobedience.”
In addition to six months in jail, Navarro must be ordered to pay a $200,000 fine, the feds said.
The former Trump aide tried to mount a defense focused on claiming executive privilege had been invoked by the 45th president that would have protected him from subpoenas, but US District Judge Amit Mehta rejected that argument last year during his trial.
The former Trump aide is trying to launch a defense claiming executive privilege has been invoked by the 45th president that would protect him from subpoenas. AP
Because Mehta rejected the possibility of a defense, Navarro said after his conviction that he was not surprised by the verdict.
Navarro’s lawyers argued in their sentencing memo complex law and precedent on executive privilege for White House advisers should lead to a lighter sentence of at least six months of probation on each charge, Politico reported.
“Dr. Navarro’s actions did not stem from disrespect for the law, nor did it stem from any belief that he was above the law,” his lawyer stressed in the memo.
Attorneys for Peter Navarro argued the law and precedent on executive privilege for White House advisers should lead to light probation on each charge, Politico reported. AFP via Getty Images
“Rather, Dr. Navarro acted because he reasonably believed he had a responsibility to assert executive privilege on behalf of former President Trump.”
Navarro is the second Trump aide to face charges after refusing to appear before Congress. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was convicted of two counts and sentenced to four months in prison, but he is currently free pending an appeal.
Other former Trump White House officials, former Deputy Chief of Communications Staff Dan Scavino and former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, were referred to the DOJ for possible contempt charges, although they ultimately did not face charges.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
