A federal judge declined to dismiss charges of criminal contempt of Congress against former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro on Thursday, clearing the way for a trial in a case that’s dragged on in court since Navarro refused to comply with a subpoena issued by the now-defunct House Jan. 6 select committee.
Navarro pleaded not guilty in June to two counts of contempt of Congress, one for refusing to appear for a deposition and the other for refusing to produce documents requested by the committee.
He has maintained that he cannot testify because Trump invoked executive privilege, which can allow presidents and their aides to sidestep congressional scrutiny. If convicted, he faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.
Navarro has
"failed to come forward with any evidence to support the claimed assertion of privilege," District Judge Amit Mehta wrote in the 39-page ruling.
He has offered "neither a sworn affidavit nor testimony from him or Trump" to back up his claims, Mehta said. "Without actual proof, the court cannot find that there was a formal invocation of privilege."
Mehta further dismissed Navarro's argument that the committee should've reached out to Trump about his invocation of privilege.