Gohmert: ‘If you’re a Republican, you can’t even lie to Congress or lie to an FBI agent or they’re coming after you’

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) railed against the indictment of former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro while saying in an interview on Friday that “if you’re a Republican, you can’t even lie to Congress or lie to an FBI agent or they’re coming after you.”

Gohmert, speaking to Newsmax in an interview on Friday, was asked to comment on the Friday indictment of Navarro by a federal grand jury after the former Trump official failed to comply with the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

“It actually puts an exclamation point on the fact that we have a two-tiered justice system. If you’re a Republican, you can’t even lie to Congress or lie to an FBI agent or they’re coming after you. They’re gonna bury you. They’re gonna put you in the D.C. jail and terrorize and torture you and not live up to the Constitution there,” Gohmert responded.

He argued that there was a double standard to how Democrats and Republicans were being treated, pointing to the acquittal of prominent Democratic attorney Michael Sussmann, who was being investigated by special counsel John Durham, as one example. 

“So [it’s] very clear. If you’re a Democrat, then you can lie. You can cheat. You can do whatever you want,” he said. 

The Hill has reached out to Gohmert’s office for further comment and clarification on his remarks.

The development comes against the backdrop of Navarro’s indictment, who is facing two charges of criminal contempt of Congress after being subpoenaed by the House select committee. 

The committee is interested in hearing from the former Trump official, looking to hear possible evidence regarding efforts to have the 2020 election results overturned by allies of former President Trump. 

“Who are these people?” Navarro asked during his court appearance on Friday. “This is not America. I mean, I was a distinguished public servant for four years and nobody ever questioned my ethics. And they’re treating me in this fashion.”