Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro made a second unsuccessful attempt to avoid prison time after his contempt of Congress conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court. His emergency request to Chief Justice John Roberts to remain free while challenging his conviction was denied, and he reported to prison the following day. Navarro then resubmitted the request to Justice Neil Gorsuch, who referred it to the full court for consideration during a closed-door conference. The court ultimately denied his request without providing any comment.
Navarro’s attorneys had argued that pausing the lower court’s decision and allowing him to remain free was necessary because he was not a flight risk and was raising significant legal questions in his appeal. However, two lower courts had previously rejected similar appeals. Chief Justice Roberts stated in a brief opinion that Navarro had forfeited any challenge to the idea that he could avoid appearing before Congress, even if he was entitled to executive privilege, and saw no basis to disagree with those determinations.
The former Trump adviser was sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty by a jury of failing to respond to congressional subpoenas for documents and testimony related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Navarro argued that his appeal would raise several legal issues that could potentially lead to the reversal of his conviction or a new trial. Despite his efforts to delay the prison sentence, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the lower court’s decision and denied his request to remain free.
Navarro’s underlying case is still pending before the appeals court, indicating that his legal battle is far from over. The Supreme Court’s decision not to intervene in his prison sentence reaffirmed the lower courts’ rulings and signaled that Navarro would have to serve his four-month term. Despite the procedural maneuvers and emergency requests made by his legal team, Navarro was unable to avoid the consequences of his contempt of Congress conviction, highlighting the limitations of his legal arguments in this case. The Supreme Court’s rejection of his request for freedom while challenging his conviction closed one chapter in Navarro’s legal saga, but the ongoing appeal process means that the final resolution of his case is still pending.
