Following his conviction for contempt of Congress, former Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro gave a speech to reporters, blasting the decision and continuing to deny any wrongdoing.
Navarro refused to cooperate and provide subpoenaed information to the House January 6 Select Committee. He reportedly maintained that the information was protected by executive privilege, but rather than attend hearings and assert privilege for specific questions, he ignored orders to testify altogether — which he maintains he had the right to do.
"Here we are with one of the most important constitutional separation of powers issues, and people will not let me speak," said Navarro.
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Navarro paused as a heckler proclaimed that someone standing behind him had "assaulted" her with a flagpole, causing a few moments of chaos.
"Sad day for America," said Navarro. "Not because — not because they were guilty verdicts, but because I can't come out and have an honest, decent conversation with the people of America. I want you to understand that this is the problem we have right here, this kind of divide in our country between the woke Marxist left and everybody else here. And this is nuts."
"This is the first time in the history of our republic that a senior White House adviser, an alter ego of the president, has ever been charged with the alleged crime," said Navarro. "It's the first time that this has ever happened. Now, at the same time, what's so remarkable about this case is that even as the Department of Justice was bringing this case, they had a policy for more than 50 years that says people like me, senior White House advisers, alter egos of the president, cannot be compelled, cannot be compelled to testify before Congress. Absolute. Yet they brought the case. This case is a landmark case because it's about the constitutional separation of powers. That goes back to the days of George Washington."
