U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta voiced frustration with former Trump White House advisor Peter Navarro during a Friday hearing.
Navarro was indicted in June on two counts of contempt of Congress, for failing to produce documents and appear for a deposition after he did not comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee Investigating the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Reuters' justice correspondent Sarah Lynch reported, "I am here in court for a motions hearing in the Navarro contempt of Congress case. Judge Mehta is hearing from attorney Stanley Woodward, and Mehta is frustrated because the defense has provided ZERO evidence Trump ever actually instructed Navarro to invoke executive privilege."
Insider's Ryan Barber described the judge as "growing irritated with Peter Navarro's lawyers for providing no evidence that Trump invoked executive privilege with the former trade advisor."
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"I'm asking for anything," Mehta told Navarro's lawyer.
"You aren't even telling me that he [Trump] whispered in his ear," Mehta noted. "You’ve given me nothing."
When the select committee subpoenaed Navarro in February, Chair Bennie Thompson said, "Mr. Navarro appears to have information directly relevant to the Select Committee’s investigation into the causes of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. He hasn’t been shy about his role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and has even discussed the former President’s support for those plans."
The select committee said, "Navarro reportedly worked with Steve Bannon and others to develop and implement a plan to delay Congress’s certification of, and ultimately change the outcome of, the November 2020 presidential election. In his book, Mr. Navarro described this plan as the 'Green Bay Sweep.' In an interview, Mr. Navarro reportedly added that former President Trump was 'on board with the strategy,' as were 'more than 100”'members of Congress. Mr. Navarro also released on his website a three-part report, dubbed the 'Navarro Report,' repeating many claims of purported fraud in the election that have been discredited in public reporting, by state officials, and courts."
