On Thursday, a federal appeals court made the decision not to grant Peter Navarro, a former adviser to Donald Trump, his request to postpone his upcoming federal prison sentence. Navarro faces a four-month sentence for being convicted of contempt of Congress.
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals, with a unanimous verdict, has mandated that Navarro must surrender to a federal prison in Miami by March 19. The court’s decision came through a concise, unsigned order from circuit Judges Patricia Millett, Cornelia Pillard, and Robert Wilkins. They stated that Navarro failed to convincingly argue why he should be allowed to remain free while appealing his conviction.
The judges expressed that Navarro did not present any substantial legal or factual questions that could likely lead to a reversal of his conviction, a new trial, a non-imprisonment sentence, or a reduction in his prison term. Navarro had contested that the federal judge overseeing his case erred by not permitting him to claim executive privilege in his defense. He argued that this could potentially lead to his conviction being overturned on appeal, which should allow him to avoid prison while his case is under consideration.
However, the appellate judges dismissed all of Navarro’s arguments on Thursday. They suggested that the court is likely to rule against him when it reviews his reasons for challenging his conviction. The judges noted that Navarro did not assert absolute testimonial immunity, which he couldn’t have. They explained that even a valid claim of executive privilege would not exempt him from the obligation to provide non-privileged documents and testify on non-privileged matters during his deposition.
Earlier this year, Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty in September of two counts of contempt of Congress. His conviction was for failing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. CNN has reached out to Navarro for his comments on the matter.
In recent days, Trump has been promoting Navarro’s book and supporting his efforts to avoid jail time. Trump praised Navarro on his Truth Social account, highlighting Navarro’s strong views on protecting the US economy from foreign threats. Trump described Navarro as a patriot who has been unfairly treated but remains resilient. He encouraged people to study Navarro’s book and respect his insights, expressing confidence in Navarro’s eventual victory.
This report includes contributions from CNN’s Kate Sullivan and has been updated to include additional information.