WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Peter Navarro, the former White House official who will return in Donald Trump’s second term after serving prison time on contempt of Congress charges.
The court declined to hear the appeal in a summary order without explanation, as is customary. It comes after the Justice Department sued Navarro, saying he kept presidential records on an unofficial email account he used during his previous term in the White House under Trump.
The government says the documents should be transferred to the National Archives. Lower courts agree, but Navarro argues that the Presidential Records Act does not allow the federal government to search email accounts and extract data. He indicated in court documents that he expects to file additional appeals in the case.
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Navarro was a trade adviser during Trump’s first term. He has been a long-time critic of trade deals with China and has been appointed senior adviser on trade and manufacturing to the new administration.
Navarro served a four-month prison sentence after being found guilty of misdemeanor charges for refusing to cooperate with a Congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
He is also appealing his conviction in that case, maintaining that he could not cooperate with the House committee because Trump invoked executive privilege.
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon has also served prison time after being convicted of contempt of Congress charges.
