WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court rejected an appeal on Monday Peter Navarrothe former White House official who will return in Donald Trump’s second term after serving a prison sentence 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 Department of Justice Navarro suedin which he said he had 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.
Navarro served as 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 one prison sentence of four months after being found guilty of charges for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol.
He is also appealing his conviction in that case, insisting he was uncooperative the House Committee because Trump had invoked executive privilege.
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon also served prison time after being convicted of a crime contempt of Congress charges.