'Trump doesn't have your back': Peter Navarro's claim of 'executive privilege' slammed in live interview
On Thursday's edition of MSNBC's "The Beat," Ari Melber interviewed former Trump aide Peter Navarro in the aftermath of his subpoena from the Justice Department for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 election — and things quickly went off the rails as Melber challenged him on a simple point about executive privilege.
"What is being attacked here is executive privilege in a very unique, in my view, fanciful and absurd way," said Navarro. "The key constitutional question here, Ari, is whether an incumbent president, in Joe Biden, can strip executive privilege from his predecessor and strip testimonial immunity from me. This is the most important issue."
"I read your filing," said Melber. "So, you're saying that — and let's get into it, Peter. Because respectfully you're talking about that argument. It doesn't exist for you yet, because Donald Trump doesn't have your back. You say you're standing tall and going to the mat. You're clearly demonstrating—"
"Ari, that's not factual," protested Navarro.
"Peter, let me finish and I'm going to let you respond," said Melber.
"As you would say when we debate, that's false, okay? So that's false," Navarro said.
"Okay, so let me show the evidence and you get to respond," said Melber. "So, here's the evidence. I'm going to say it so people hear it clearly. Executive privilege does exist and can be litigated. The former president has not invoked it publicly or in writing for you. I'm going to put up what you say in your suit and the committee response. They haven't heard of privilege for you or others."
He then put up a clip of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who sits on the House committee investigating the matter.
"Navarro appears to fall back on the vague assertion that it falls to President Trump, which is not only dubious, but irrelevant, because our committee has not been given any invocation of executive privilege by Donald Trump," said Raskin in the clip.
"Can you answer once and for all—" began Melber.
"Okay, let's take that — little Jamie Raskin, okay, can talk all he wants," snapped Navarro.
"The president is not going to cooperate with a kangaroo committee run by people like Raskin and Adam Schiff, and one of the things I do in the lawsuit, Ari, based on case law, is I go over what's called the legislative history of each of the seven Democrats on that nine-member committee, and it's relevant, Ari—"
"I read that, but you admit that Trump has not — but you admit that Trump has not invoked privilege for you?" Ari continued, as Navarro continued to talk over him.
Watch below or at this link.
Leave a Comment
Related Post