Jan. 6 Committee Recommends Criminal Contempt Charges For Two Ex-Trump Officials

Topline

The House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot recommended holding former Trump Administration communications staffer Daniel Scavino Jr. and trade advisor Peter Navarro in criminal contempt of Congress on Monday, accusing the two of defying subpoenas—the latest Trump allies to face pressure from the committee to cooperate with its probe.

Peter Navarro outside of the White House on June 18, 2020.

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Key Facts

The committee voted 9-0 Monday evening to recommend that the House of Representatives hold Scavino and Navarro in contempt and refer them to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for possible prosecution.

Navarro and Scavino were recommended for contempt after they failed to follow subpoenas issued by the committee to appear and provide information related to the Capitol riot, the committee said.

While Navarro “stonewalled” the House committee outright, Scavino “strung [lawmakers] along” for months before making it clear he did not intend to cooperate, committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said.

The committee has questions for Scavino related to his social media work for the Trump Administration, his interactions with pro-Trump forum “The_Donald” and his alleged engagement with conspiracy theories, vice-chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said.

Navarro told the Associated Press on Thursday the committee was using “tactics of harassment and intimidation,” and predicted the issue would end up before the Supreme Court.

Navarro and Scavino did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Forbes.

Dan Scavino speaks at the Mellon Auditorium on August 26, 2020 in Washington, D.C.

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What To Watch For

If the House votes to hold Navarro and Scavino in contempt, the Department of Justice must decide whether or not to pursue criminal charges—a step the department has sometimes declined to take in the past. If convicted of contempt of Congress, Navarro and Scavino could be sentenced to up to 1 year in prison and face a fine of up to $100,000.

Key Background

Scavino was subpoenaed in September, after reporting emerged that he was present at a January 2021 discussion involving former President Donald Trump on overturning the 2020 election and had published tweets from the White House on the day of the Capitol riot. Navarro was subpoenaed February 9 after he publicly boasted about participating in efforts to overturn the election in TV interviews and in a 2021 book. Navarro and Scavino have contended that they are not permitted to testify before the committee due to the former president’s executive privilege, an argument that was rejected in Navarro’s case by President Joe Biden last month.

Tangent

The January 6 committee has subpoenaed dozens of Trump staffers and allies, but it has struggled to secure cooperation from some people. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was indicted for contempt of Congress in November after he refused to comply with a subpoena, and a criminal trial is scheduled for July 18. Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows—who was subpoenaed in September alongside Scavino—was also recommended for a contempt of Congress citation by the committee, but he hasn’t been charged.

Crucial Quote

“For a great many of us, it means something profound when we raise our hands and swear an oath,” Thompson said. “We haven’t finished the work of our investigation, but I can say confidently that the many involved in the run-up to January 6—an oath, a statement of fidelity to our democracy, was nothing more to them than meaningless words. I fear what happens if those people are again given the reins of power.”