Peter Navarro reported to the federal prison in Miami on Tuesday to begin his four-month sentence.
The former adviser to Donald Trump was convicted in January of this year for refusing to cooperate with Congress in the investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
Navarro, 74, was first notified by the House committee in February 2022, but the former Trump adviser refused to turn over the requested emails and documents.
Before heading to prison, Navarro made statements to reporters and described the case as “an unprecedented attack on the constitutional separation of powers.”
The former Republican president's ally denounced “partisan exploitation of the judicial system” and attributed his fate “to the damn Democrats and people who hate Trump.”
“I will proudly go to prison and serve my sentence,” Navarro said, expressing his satisfaction that Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for the presidential elections in November.
Another former adviser to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, was already convicted of the same crimes and sentenced to the same prison term in 2022, but was released pending the outcome of his appeal.
Navarro also appealed the decision, but the Supreme Court rejected his appeal on Monday.
Historical process
In addition to being an advisor, Navarro also worked on a campaign that sought to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election (which gave victory to Joe Biden) and keep Donald Trump in the White House. In his book published in 2021 entitled “In the time of Trump”Navarro even says he was the architect of the strategy to challenge the 2020 election results.
In late January — three years after Congress was attacked by Trump supporters who tried to stop the certification of Biden's win — Navarro was convicted and fined $9,500.
Thus Navarro makes history by becoming the first former White House official to serve prison time for disrespecting Congress.
The former president himself faces 91 charges in four separate criminal cases, but has yet to face criminal consequences. Despite the accusations, Donald Trump will run again for the White House against his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, in the November 5 elections.
