Trump allies Navarro, Scavino held in contempt of Congress

Former US President Donald Trump's advisers Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino were held in contempt of Congress on Wednesday, for failing to comply with the House committee probing the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Navarro, a top trade adviser to the Republican former president, and Scavino, who was a deputy chief of staff, did not comply with subpoenas to appear before the House Select Committee.

The House voted 220-203 in favor of referring Navarro and Scavino, who were part of Trump's inner circle, to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. 

The vote split along party lines, except for Republican Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who joined Democrats in voting in favor.

What are the allegations against them?

The committee says Scavino helped promote Trump's false claims of a stolen election and was with him the day of the attack on the Capitol. As a result, he may have "materials relevant to his videotaping and tweeting'' messages that day.

Navarro, 72, was subpoenaed in early February over his promotion of false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, which the committee believes contributed to the attack.

Contempt of Congress bears a penalty of up to one year imprisonment and a fine up to $100,000.

Republicans have accused Democrats of waging a political war with the probe. "Democrats are using the power of the federal government to jail their political opponents," House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said.

Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, have already appeared in front of the committee. The two were close senior advisers to the former president. 

Scavino and Navarro both argued that their communications are protected by executive privilege. President Joe Biden's administration has denied executive privilege to former Trump aides, saying it was not justified or in the national interest for them to withhold their testimony.

tg/sms  (AP, Reuters, AFP)