By LINDSAY WHITEHURST (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Peter Navarro, who served in the Trump administration, has asked the Supreme Court to prevent him from going to prison while he challenges his contempt of Congress conviction.
Navarro is set to go to a federal prison next week, following a court ruling that indicated his appeal was unlikely to overturn his conviction for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Navarro has asserted that he couldn't comply with the committee because former President Donald Trump had claimed executive privilege. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, appointed by President Barack Obama, prohibited him from making that argument during the trial, stating that he did not demonstrate that Trump had actually invoked it.
The urgent request coincides with the Supreme Court's preparations to consider whether Trump himself has immunity from charges of interfering in the 2020 election.
Navarro is the second Trump associate to be convicted of contempt of Congress. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon previously received a four-month sentence but was permitted to remain out of prison while awaiting appeal by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump.
Navarro was found guilty of defying a subpoena for documents and a deposition from the House Jan. 6 committee, and was sentenced to four months in prison. He served as a White House trade adviser under then-President Donald Trump and later promoted the Republican's unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
