Former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has been released from prison after serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. Navarro, who was a key figure in the Trump administration, was convicted for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Navarro is expected to speak at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee later today. He will address the convention during the 6 p.m. hour Central time. This marks his first public appearance since his release from custody.
Navarro's conviction stemmed from his promotion of false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election leading up to the Capitol insurrection. Despite his argument that he couldn't cooperate due to executive privilege invoked by Trump, courts ruled against him, stating that he failed to prove Trump had actually invoked such privilege.
Notably, Navarro is the first senior Trump administration official to serve time for a crime related to the January 6 attack. His release comes as another Trump ally, Steve Bannon, recently reported to prison to begin serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress charges in connection to the same investigation.
The House committee that investigated the insurrection concluded that Trump was involved in a 'multi-part conspiracy' to overturn the election results and failed to act to prevent the Capitol breach. Trump, however, maintains his innocence and denies any wrongdoing.
Navarro's appearance at the Republican National Convention is expected to draw attention and spark discussions about the events surrounding the Capitol attack and the ongoing fallout within the Republican Party.
For more updates on the 2024 election, follow the Associated Press's coverage at AP Election 2024.
