Miami, Florida – Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro has filed a request with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, urging him to reconsider Chief Justice John Roberts’ decision to deny Navarro’s plea to remain out of prison while he appeals his contempt of Congress conviction.
Navarro began serving a four-month prison sentence on March 19 in Miami after being found guilty in September of two counts of contempt of Congress. This was in relation to his refusal to testify and provide documents to the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In a filing submitted by his attorney Stanley Woodward, Navarro is asking for a reconsideration of Chief Justice Roberts’ denial. It was highlighted in the filing that the D.C. Circuit court has set a briefing schedule for Navarro’s appeal that will not conclude until July 19, 2024 – after his scheduled release from prison.
Justice Roberts previously stated that he saw no reason to overturn the lower courts’ decisions, which also rejected Navarro’s initial request to remain free while appealing his case.
During Navarro’s trial, it was revealed that the House panel wanted to question him about efforts to delay the certification of the 2020 election, a plan he referred to as the “Green Bay Sweep” in his book. Navarro had argued that Trump had asserted executive privilege over his testimony and document production, a claim that was ultimately unsuccessful.
Navarro’s plea for reconsideration raises questions about the handling of contempt cases by high-profile individuals and the extent of executive privilege in such matters. It also shines a light on the legal battles that continue to unfold in the aftermath of the Capitol attack.