Ex-UC Irvine Professor, Trump Adviser Indicted By Federal Grand Jury

LOS ANGELES, CA — A former UC Irvine professor who worked as an adviser to ex-President Donald Trump has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, the Department of Justice announced Friday.

Peter K. Navarro, 72, is charged with a misdemeanor count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the investigative panel, according to the DOJ.

The indictment was returned Thursday and unsealed Friday. Navarro is expected to make his initial appearance Friday afternoon in federal court in the District of Columbia.

Navarro, whose current address was not immediately available, was an economics professor at UC Irvine, where he retired in 2016 while being tapped as a trade adviser to the then-presidential candidate. He also reportedly lectured at UC San Diego and the University of San Diego between 1985 and 1988.

According to the indictment, on Feb. 9, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Navarro which required him to appear and produce documents to the panel on Feb. 23, and to appear for a deposition on March 2.

Navarro allegedly refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena, federal prosecutors said.

In its subpoena, the committee said it had reason to believe that Navarro had information relevant to its investigation. Navarro, who advised Trump on various trade and manufacturing policies, has been a private citizen since departing the White House on Jan. 20, 2021.

Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of up to $100,000, prosecutors noted.

City News Service