Peter Navarro, a former adviser to Donald Trump, has been sentenced to four months in federal prison this year for defying the Jan. 6 committee. Despite his efforts to delay his sentence, a panel of federal appeals court judges has rejected his bid.
The three judges ruled that Navarro failed to demonstrate that his appeal raises substantial legal or factual questions likely to lead to a reversal, a new trial, a non-prison sentence, or a reduced prison term. Navarro’s lawyers had indicated they would pursue the case with the Supreme Court.
Three federal appeals court judges ruled that Navarro had “not shown that his appeal presents substantial questions of law or fact likely to result in reversal, a new trial, a sentence that does not include a term of imprisonment or a reduced sentence of imprisonment that is less than the amount of time already served plus the expected duration of the appeal process.”
Navarro has been ordered to report to federal prison in Miami by 2 p.m. on March 19, according to court filings where his legal team requested a stay of his surrender date.
Navarro was deeply involved in Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. He was subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee in February 2022 but refused to testify or hand over requested documents. Federal prosecutors, prior to his sentencing, accused Navarro of prioritizing politics over the country’s interests and obstructing Congress’s investigation in a manner similar to the Capitol rioters.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, during Navarro’s sentencing in January, emphasized that he was not a victim of political persecution and had received fair due process.
The order rejecting Navarro’s appeal was issued by Circuit Judges Patricia Millett, Robert Wilkins, and Cornelia Pillard of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
