Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro rejects plea deal, lawyer calls offer 'perfunctory'

Peter Navarro, a former White House advisor to former President Trump rejected a plea deal on Friday in relation to his contempt of Congress charges.

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"The government made a perfunctory offer to allow Mr. Navarro to plead guilty and serve time in jail as the penalty for following instructions from the President he served. For more than 50 years, the US Justice Department has recognized that a Senior Advisor to the President has testimonial immunity and cannot be compelled by Congress to testify about the performance of his official duties. The government has never before leveled criminal charges against a Presidential advisor in circumstances such as these – and we wonder why it has chosen to ignore that well-established precedent now. This is a dispute between the Office of the President and Congress and Mr. Navarro has been unfairly caught in the cross-fire. The government’s offer is unacceptable and Mr. Navarro is determined to aggressively defend his rights in court," Rowley said.