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‘Slow-Rolling Comedy Sketch’: Navarro Mocked After Telling Judge He Wants to Postpone Trial Because He’ll Be on His Book Tour

Former top Trump White House advisor, conspiracy theorist, and “Big Lie” promoter Peter Navarro, arrested earlier this month after being indicted by a grand jury, told a federal judge he’ll be busy this fall promoting his upcoming book as he rejected several suggested dates and tried to push his trial into next year.
Arraigned at 10:00 AM ET, Navarro pleaded not guilty to two counts of contempt of Congress after ignoring a legal subpoena and refusing to cooperate with the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.
Navarro repeatedly claimed he would represent himself, but at the last minute hired two attorneys who appeared with him late Friday morning.
Politico’s Kyle Cheney reports Navarro’s attorney told federal district court Judge Amit Mehta “he wants to slow down the trial schedule after Mehta suggests he has availability in lat[e] August, early September or mid-November. But Navarro’s team says Navarro is planning to put out a book in September and will be on the road a lot.”
Navarro’s lawyer John Irving wants to delay proceedings, citing his client’s upcoming book:
“The book comes out in September. The marketing comes out in August.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) June 17, 2022
Federal prosecutors said the Dept. of Justice has “serious concerns about delaying trial for a book tour.”
Liz Dye, who writes about law and politics for Above The Law, notes Navarro’s “book is on the topics he refused to discuss with the committee citing executive privilege.”
Navarro and his attorneys tried to push the trial to next April.
Judge Mehta says his first week available for trial is during April if they don’t go in November.
Defense says April is GREAT.
Judge laughs and says the facts aren’t that complex, we can get this done.
— Liz Dye (@5DollarFeminist) June 17, 2022
Judge Mehta warned Navarro after he improperly emailed the court:
DC Judge cracks back at Peter Navarro:
“In the last 2 days, Defendant has twice communicated with the court by emailing the courtroom deputy, without copying government counsel. This is not proper. Defendant is not permitted to have ex-parte communications with the court”
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) June 10, 2022
Navarro exited the hearing with a protestor behind him holding a sign that reads: “THE BIG LIE ALMOST KILLED OUR DEMOCRACY.”
Navarro exits court after pleading not guilty pic.twitter.com/3RJFoyNTGE
— Logan Ratick (@Logan_Ratick) June 17, 2022
Outside the court, after his hearing, in a small press conference, Navarro swung into full promotion mode, telling reporters the name of his book and that it’s “on Amazon, by the way.”
Peter Navarro’s defense lawyers asked for a later trial date so the former Trump advisor could promote his book later this year. DOJ said a book tour is “absolutely no basis” for delay, and Judge Amit Mehta set the trial for Nov. 17.
Here’s Navarro outside court re: his book. pic.twitter.com/ZYGCGmEPYY— Ryan Barber (@cryanbarber) June 17, 2022
Navarro is being mocked on social media, including by this top national security attorney:
Oh dude, no, that’s not an excuse. https://t.co/XYoLXvBWKX
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) June 17, 2022
And others:
Hearing this live in court is like a slow-rolling comedy sketch. https://t.co/7ENkCWQse5
— Jose Pagliery (@Jose_Pagliery) June 17, 2022
I mean if the guy wants to have his trial AFTER releasing a book that could be chock full of evidence on his participation in a seditious conspiracy…
— Dan (@Eodyne1) June 17, 2022
At the rate they’re going, Bannon and Navarro should spring for a full-time studio in front of Prettyman for their regularly scheduled pressers. https://t.co/E5XdfeFYxi
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) June 17, 2022
Judge Mehta schedules trial for Peter Navarro in space formerly occupied by accused seditionists. https://t.co/Nywfmvo2tK
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) June 17, 2022
Peter Navarro hires an attorney, but not a criminal defense attorney and complains about legal fees: ‘I’ll be eating dog food if I stay out of jail’.
Thoughts and prayers, bro.
— Outspoken™️ (@Out5p0ken) June 17, 2022
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