House Republicans are asking for further investigation into the last Congress’s Jan. 6 select committee, citing former Trump administration aide Peter Navarro’s order to report to prison next week as cause for continued concern.
Mr. Navarro, who served as the White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, was convicted of contempt of Congress last year for defying a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 select committee and is slated to report to prison on March 19.
“I encourage you to conduct further oversight over the Jan. 6 Committee’s decision to recommend contempt of Congress charges against former Trump administration officials,” said Mr. Biggs in his letter.
“As you are likely aware, former White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro has been ordered to report to prison next week based on his refusal to comply with the demands of the committee that has been shown to be illegitimately constituted and hopelessly tainted.”
Mr. Biggs told The Epoch Times in a statement that his concern about the Jan. 6 committee’s efforts and the subsequent legal fallout has to do with concern that the movements were motivated by political bias.
“The illegitimately constructed and biased Jan. 6 Committee must be held accountable for its pursuit of political opponents,” Mr. Biggs said.
“That Mr. Navarro is required to report to federal prison for refusing to comply with an illegitimate committee’s demands is indicative of our nation’s two-tiered justice system.
“Throwing political opponents behind bars is a cruel move more likely to be seen in communist China and banana republics around the world. We must swiftly bring this practice to an end if we hope to protect our republic.”
The oversight body’s initial findings included the discovery that the select committee “deleted records and hid evidence,” as well as evidence that the committee “colluded” with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who wrote to the select committee seeking assistance with her prosecution of President Trump.
After releasing the report, Mr. Loudermilk offered the following statement about his committee’s findings:
“For nearly two years former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Jan. 6 Select Committee promoted hearsay and cherry-picked information to promote its political goal—to legislatively prosecute former President Donald Trump,” said Mr. Loudermilk.
“It was no surprise that the select committee’s final report focused primarily on former President Trump and his supporters, not the security failures and reforms needed to ensure the United States Capitol is safer today than in 2021.
Mr. Loudermilk asserted that the select committee on Jan. 6 had succumbed to their political inclinations and chased false narratives instead of providing the important work of a genuine investigation“ and that his report was ”just the beginning.”
Mr. Biggs’s letter to the oversight subcommittee chairman, also signed by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FLa.) and Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) emphasized the need for further review of the select committee’s work, saying: “I urge you and your team to continue in their inquiry.”
Mr. Biggs’s push for more investigation comes the day after Mr. Navarro’s attempt to delay his prison sentence and appeal against his conviction was rejected by a federal court.
The panel ruled that the petitioner “has not shown that his appeal presents substantial questions of law or fact likely to result in reversal, new trial, a sentence that does not include a term of imprisonment or a reduced sentence of imprisonment that is less than the amount of time already served plus the expected duration of the appeal process.”
The unanimous decision was rendered by the three-judge panel, comprised of former President Barack Obama’s appointees Circuit Judges Patricia Millett, Cornelia Pillard, and Robert Wilkins.
