Former Advisor to the President Peter Navarro was ordered to report to prison on March 19 for a four-month sentence for defying a congressional subpoena from the Jan. 6 Select Committee. Navarro had asked for a stay while he appeals his conviction, but U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied it. 

He is now hoping for a three-judge appeals court panel to step in and prevent him from being the first prominent Trump advisor to be put behind bars.

As Peter Navarro’s case heads to appeal, Judge Amit Mehta (Obama) nonetheless orders Navarro, 74, to report to a federal prison in Miami next week to begin serving a 4-month sentence for contempt of Congress.

Mehta loves throwing J6ers in prison… https://t.co/Cbt1iQPVg5

— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) March 11, 2024

“Dr. Navarro has now been ordered to report to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, FCI Miami, on or before 2:00PM EDT on March 19, 2024,” his lawyer wrote in court papers late Sunday. “Accordingly, Dr. Navarro respectfully reiterates his request for an administrative stay.”

The J6 Committee wanted more information about what they considered election interference, but Navarro refused to provide it:

The Jan. 6 committee subpoenaed Navarro for testimony primarily about his efforts to work with Bannon on a strategy aimed at forcing delays in the Jan. 6, 2021 session of Congress where lawmakers were tasked with certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the election. Navarro also compiled a series of three election-related reports touting largely discredited claims of fraud, one of which Trump cited in a now infamous tweet calling his supporters to Washington for a “wild” protest.

Navarro would probably not agree with the above characterization by Politico, however, and called the matter a "landmark case" that involved serious separation of powers questions:

In a statement issued in response to the order, Navarro called his case "a landmark constitutional case that will eventually determine whether the constitutional separation of powers is preserved, whether executive privilege will continue to exist as a bulwark against partisan attacks by the legislative branch, and whether executive privilege will remain, as President George Washington pioneered, a critical instrument of effective presidential decision-making."

"That's worth fighting for on behalf of all Americans," Navarro said.

Notably, Navarro is receiving different treatment than another former Trump aide, Steve Bannon:

Navarro, an economist who advised Trump on trade issues, was the second former Trump aide convicted for refusing to cooperate with the Jan. 6 panel. Steve Bannon was convicted by a jury in July 2022 for similarly blowing off a subpoena from the committee.

However, the judge in Bannon’s case, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, agreed not to enforce Bannon’s four-month sentence while he appeals his conviction to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Navarro’s judge, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, rejected Navarro’s attempt for a similar stay.

Unless a federal appeals court issues the stay, it looks like Navarro will be headed to prison next week.

Related:

Peter Navarro, Former Trump White House Official, Sentenced to Four Months for Contempt of Congress

BREAKING: Trump WH Adviser Peter Navarro Convicted on Contempt of Congress Charges