Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro must report to prison on Tuesday as scheduled, after the Supreme Court on Monday denied the stay of his sentence.
Chief Justice John Roberts, in a short opinion, wrote that he saw “no reason to disagree” with lower courts, which also rejected Navarro’s request.
Navarro’s appeal on the merits remains pending, but he will have to begin serving his sentence in the meantime.
Navarro was ordered on March 11 to report to prison in Miami on Tuesday, to serve a four-month sentence.
He was convicted in September of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to provide testimony and documents to the House Select Committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Navarro on Friday filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court in an attempt to remain out of prison as he works to overturn his conviction.
In his filing to the Supreme Court, Navarro’s attorney Stanley Woodward argued Navarro “is indisputably neither a flight risk nor a danger to public safety should he be released pending appeal.”
In testimony during Navarro’s trial, former Jan. 6 committee staff director David Buckley said the House panel had been seeking to question Navarro about efforts to delay Congress’ certification of the 2020 election, a plan Navarro dubbed the “Green Bay Sweep” in his book “In Trump Time.”
Navarro unsuccessfully argued that former President Donald Trump had asserted executive privilege over his testimony and document production.
“For the first time in our nation’s history, a senior presidential advisor has been convicted of contempt of Congress after asserting executive privilege over a congressional subpoena,” Woodward’s filing said. “Dr. Navarro has appealed and will raise a number of issues on appeal that he contends are likely to result in the reversal of his conviction, or a new trial.”
Navarro would become the first former Trump adviser to report to prison for actions related to the Jan. 6 attack.
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Laura Romero contributed to this report.
The Supreme Court has recently denied a request to delay the sentence for former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, who was found guilty of contempt of Congress. Navarro had been ordered to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot, but he refused to do so.
Navarro’s legal team had requested a delay in his sentence, arguing that he needed more time to prepare for his appeal. However, the Supreme Court rejected this request, meaning that Navarro will have to begin serving his sentence immediately.
This decision by the Supreme Court sends a clear message that individuals who defy congressional subpoenas will be held accountable for their actions. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the rule of law and respecting the authority of Congress to conduct investigations.
Navarro’s case is just one example of the ongoing legal battles surrounding the January 6th Capitol riot and the individuals involved. As more information comes to light and more individuals are held accountable for their actions, it is clear that the repercussions of that fateful day will continue to be felt for years to come.
In the meantime, Peter Navarro will have to face the consequences of his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena. This decision by the Supreme Court serves as a warning to others who may be tempted to defy the authority of Congress – there will be consequences for those who choose to obstruct justice.
