(FreedomBeacon.com)- Last week, the Democrat-led House voted to approve charges of contempt of Congress against former Trump aides Peter Navarro and Daniel Scavino for their refusal to cooperate with the partisan January 6 select committee’s subpoenas.
In a vote of 220 to 203, the House voted to refer Navarro and Scavino to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution. Only two Republicans, select committee members Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger voted along with the Democrats.
Both Scavino and Navarro refused to comply with the committee’s subpoenas, arguing that their communications are protected by executive privilege. The Biden administration has denied executive privilege for former Trump aides, arguing that such privilege doesn’t apply to former presidents’ staffers.
Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy blasted the referral vote, accusing Democrats of using the federal government to jail political opponents.
The referral vote does not necessarily mean either Navarro or Scavino will be prosecuted. The Justice Department ultimately makes the call whether or not to pursue contempt charges.
However, last year, Congress voted to refer podcaster Steve Bannon to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress, and the DOJ did file charges against Bannon.
Bannon’s trial has been scheduled for July, leaving Democrats very little time to exploit his case for political purposes before the November midterm elections.
Meanwhile, in mid-December, former chief of staff Mark Meadows was also referred to Justice on contempt of Congress. But as yet, the Justice Department has not acted on that referral.
Contempt of Congress is punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Both Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have cooperated with the select committee.
According to the New York Times, during her testimony last week, Ivanka Trump did not claim executive privilege or the Fifth Amendment in response to any questions but answered each one “broadly.”
The details of what Ivanka Trump provided, however, were not publicly known (until someone on the committee leaks them to the press).
