Pete Navarro's contempt of Congress trial postponed - The Washington Post

In an unusually blunt statement against delay, authoritative Raymond N. Hulser said it was the “strong preference” of the U.S. attorney’s bureau successful D.C. “to effort this lawsuit portion the committee is successful existence,” meaning earlier the existent Congress nether Democratic power adjourns Jan. 3, and a caller Congress mightiness beryllium led by Republicans successful transportation with this week’s midterm elections.

Hulser said the U.S. attorney’s bureau took earnestly its jurisdiction to prosecute the historically uncommon complaint of contempt of Congress, including “to bring and resoluteness these arsenic promptly arsenic possible.”

“If determination is immoderate anticipation that a idiosyncratic tin beryllium convinced by the pressing quality of a transgression proceedings to say, ‘Okay, I volition spell and I volition reply questions. I volition supply documents. We would similar to beryllium a catalyst successful that,” Hulser said.

Mehta objected to the proposition that a proceedings mightiness beryllium utilized to compel cooperation, and Hulser had made wide that Navarro’s transgression lawsuit would spell guardant regardless.

“I recognize the U.S. attorney’s desire, but I don’t privation these proceedings to beryllium a lever successful a mode the U.S. attorney’s bureau has suggested,” the justice said, noting that Navarro “remains escaped to supply documents oregon testimony.”

Navarro lawyer Stanley Woodward said his client’s defense is that erstwhile president Donald Trump has invoked enforcement privilege shielding his communications arsenic a apical statesmanlike adjutant from Congress, and that it is up to the House to negociate his practice with Trump, not Navarro. Mehta has not yet ruled connected that claim. Navarro has pleaded not blameworthy to some counts, each punishable by astatine slightest 30 days and up to 1 twelvemonth successful jail.