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| Photo Credit: AP. |
Former Trump aide Peter Navarro has pleaded not guilty for defiling a subpoena issued by the House select committee investing January 6 violent attack on Congress by some misguided Trump supporters. The former administration adviser pleaded not guilty on Friday and will face trial in mid-November on contempt charges, Politico reported.
U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta set the schedule after
Navarro’s attorneys initially requested an April 2023 trial date to avoid
interfering with Navarro’s plans to market a pro-Donald Trump book he will
release in September, according to Politico.
However Justice Department attorneys reportedly rejected the
request arguing that the trial should begin as quickly as possible saying the
government has “serious concerns about delaying trial for a book tour,”
according to Politico.
Mr Navarro is the second Trump ally involved in preparations
to disrupt the transition of power on January 6, 2021, set for trial this year
on contempt of Congress charges.
A former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon who is
believed to have hatched a plan to coach House GOP lawmakers on a plan to
prolong the joint session of Congress that day as a way of delaying the certification
process is also going on trial.
The two staunch Trump allies had refused to testify to the select
committee or present requested documents. They are facing contempt charges for
refusing to testify and for refusing to provide requested documents.
Early this month Navarro was taken into custody by FBI
agents at the Ronald Reagan National Airport as he was about to board a plane
to Nashville for a TV appearance.
The duo face up to one year in prison on each count if
convicted of the charges brought against them.
In preparation of January 6 certification of Joe Biden’s
victory Bannon and Navarro rallied House Republicans with allied senators to
challenge the counting of electors from several states won by Joe Biden in what
is dubbed the “Green Bay Sweep,” according to Politico. The lawmakers would
divide into teams that would prevent arguments on the House floor and help
extend the session deep into January 7 so that the Trump administration could
buy more time to perpetuate itself in power.
According to Politico, the select committee also raised
questions about a post-election report prepared by Navarro which raised
discredited claims of voting irregularities, an idea which was promoted by Mr
Trump in a tweet as he charged his supporters to lay a siege on Congress to
make their voices heard.
The strategy by Mr Trump was to delay the counting of
electors long enough to give enough room for GOP controlled state legislatures
to reconvene and adopt new presidential electors so as to overturn Biden’s
victory. The plans died a natural death as no state legislature accepted the
doomsday strategy.