Major Issue: Whether an individual who once worked for former President Trump can be convicted on criminal contempt of Congress charges for failing to produce documents or appear for a deposition before the January 6th committee examining the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Case Status: Awaiting criminal trial.

Case Description: On Feb. 9, 2022, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol issued a subpoena to Peter Navarro requesting documents and deposition testimony related to the 2020 presidential election and January 6th attack. Mr. Navarro had been a trade adviser to former President Trump from 2017 to 2021. He declined to produce any documents by the Feb. 23rd due date or appear for a deposition on March 2nd as required by the subpoena. On April 6, 2022, the House voted to hold him in contempt of Congress. On June 2, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Mr. Navarro on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress for failing to produce documents and for failing to appear at a deposition required by the committee subpoena.

Procedural Posture: The indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. After extensive pre-trial litigation, the court set a trial date of Jan. 30, 2023.  On Jan. 27, the court postposed the trial start date to resolve additional legal issues.