Appeals court rejects Peter Navarro’s bid to remain out of prison

An appeals court on Thursday, March 14, denied former Trump adviser Peter Navarro’s request to remain free while appealing his contempt of Congress conviction. Navarro had argued that he should not be incarcerated during the appeal process.

However, the three-judge panel ruled against him, meaning Navarro must report to a federal prison in Miami by next Tuesday to begin a four-month sentence.

Navarro became the second Trump aide convicted on contempt of Congress charges, following former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who also received a four-month sentence but remains free while appealing.

Navarro defied a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee, refusing to provide documents and testimony. As a White House trade adviser for then-President Donald Trump, he later supported unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

He was sentenced in January for refusing to cooperate with the House committee. Navarro claimed he was unable to testify before the committee because Trump had invoked executive privilege.