Justice Department says Navarro lied about being denied a lawyer, food

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday pushed again on an assertion from former Trump White House formal Peter Navarro, who had claimed he was denied obtain to an attorney when he was arrested on contempt rates past 7 days.

In a court docket filing, the Justice Department alleged that Navarro lied to the judge and to customers of the media by saying he was instructed he couldn’t phone a law firm and that he was denied food items and h2o although being held for quite a few several hours immediately after his arrest on Friday.

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Navarro was indicted on expenses that he refused to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The 72-yr-previous was charged with 1 contempt count for failing to surface for a deposition right before the Household committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault and a second charge for failing to develop documents the committee asked for.

For the duration of a courtroom visual appeal on Friday, Navarro alleged that the Justice Section experienced dedicated “prosecutorial misconduct” and reported he was informed he could not contact any person after becoming approached by an FBI agent at the airport Friday and put in handcuffs. He said he was arrested even though attempting to board a flight to Nashville, Tennessee, for a tv physical appearance.

The Justice Department’s assertion was designed in a courtroom filing responding to Navarro’s request that his following court look be delayed.

“The Defendant bases his ask for for a continuance, in part, on his accusations that the Government is trying to deprive him of counsel — for instance, by allegedly denying him a phone to counsel upon his arrest and filing motions in the normal class of continuing with this scenario,” the court papers say. “The Defendant’s statements are bogus.”

The Justice Department also produced a copy of an FBI agent’s report on Thursday, which in depth Navarro’s arrest at Reagan Nationwide Airport and describes how agents accommodated him by giving him candies, allowing him time to comfort a journey companion at the airport and consistently modifying his handcuffs by loosening them and giving additional room amongst his wrists after he complained.

It claimed Navarro was encouraged of his legal rights and was informed the brokers did not want to job interview him. He asked to make a phone phone, the report reported, and an agent instructed him they would get hold of his lawyer if he gave them the name of the lawyer.

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The report claims Navarro responded, “I’m intended to be on live television tonight. I’d like to simply call the producer and tell him I’m not going to be there. Can I have my phone?” The agent then advised him that they would quickly make preparations for a get in touch with with his lawyer, if he furnished the attorney’s identify.

Navarro claimed in court docket he was considering representing himself. He wrote in a courtroom submitting on Wednesday that he continue to did not have an attorney and asked the decide in his situation to hold off his upcoming court docket appearance by 45 days.

During an physical appearance with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Navarro claimed the FBI “went with the shock and awe terrorist approach.”

“Next detail I know, I’m in leg irons, handcuffs and strip-searched,” Navarro mentioned. “People do not want to sit in solitary confinement in leg irons, denied food stuff, denied water, denied an attorney. This is what we are living in.”

The FBI report said Navarro was specified a bottle of h2o, chocolate, nuts and dried fruits about an hour immediately after he was arrested at the airport. Navarro “was questioned if he wanted something else to try to eat or drink which he declined,” the report reported.