Peter Navarro, a White House adviser to former President Donald J. Trump who defied a subpoena to provide information to the special House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, was charged on Friday with contempt of Congress.
Prosecutors say that Mr. Navarro, 72, was issued a subpoena by the House committee on Feb. 9, but failed to appear for a deposition or provide documents to congressional investigators. The indictment charges him with two counts of contempt that each carry a maximum sentence of a year in prison, as well as a fine of up to $100,000.
He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A former White House trade adviser who undertook extensive efforts to keep Mr. Trump in power after the 2020 election, Mr. Navarro is the second high-ranking former presidential aide to be charged with contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee. In November, Stephen K. Bannon, a former top aide to Mr. Trump, was indicted on similar charges.
The indictment against Mr. Navarro came nearly two months after the House voted on mostly party lines to recommend criminal charges against him. Lawmakers decided in the same vote to recommend a contempt indictment against another of Mr. Trump’s top aides, Dan Scavino Jr.
The House has also recommended that Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, be charged with contempt. But the Justice Department has yet to take action on the criminal referrals against Mr. Meadows or Mr. Scavino.
