Appearing on CNN early Saturday morning, noted defense attorney Shan Wu suggested that the abrupt arrest and jailing of former Donald Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro on Friday was designed by the DOJ as a message to other members of the Trump administration who are being scrutinized.
Speaking with host Boris Sanchez, the attorney noted that — surprisingly — the combative Navarro was not given the opportunity to turn himself in after being indicted on two counts of criminal contempt and was instead nabbed before entering a plane and handcuffed.
That, in turn, led Navarro to complain that his arrest was unconstitutional, which attorney Wu just laughed off.
“I want to ask you about Peter Navarro’s claims that his arrest was unconstitutional,” host Sanchez prompted. “He said he wasn’t allowed to make a call from jail, his attorneys weren’t contacted. Was there any detail in his arrest that would lead you to believe that something improper took place?”
“No, absolutely not. I thought he was saying he was defending himself,” Wu replied with a smirk. “So I’m not sure who they would have contacted in terms of his attorneys.”
“It’s a little unusual that in a white-collar case they wouldn’t have allowed him to self-surrender,” he added. “That could indicate, it was hard to reach him and he might flee, given he was representing himself. And two, [they] may have been trying to send a message.”
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence of the timing that they announced a declination of [Dan] Scavino and [Mark] Meadow’s cases and also, on the other hand, sending a hard message of arresting Navarro,” he elaborated. “It may have been to make that point they’re not fooling around that, when they indict, they’re going to treat people quite seriously.”
Watch below or at this link.