ReclaimingAmerica.net) – On Sunday, former President Donald Trump protested the fairness of his upcoming trial for alleged election interference. He demands a new trial location and judge, insisting he will not get a fair hearing in the current circumstances.
77-year-old Trump stated that his legal team plans to request the recusal of Judge Tanya Chutkan of the Washington DC federal court. The judge has been assigned to manage the case concerning allegations that Trump interfered with the 2020 election.
Trump expressed his concerns in very emphatic terms, stating: “THERE IS NO WAY I CAN GET A FAIR TRIAL WITH THE JUDGE ‘ASSIGNED’ TO THE RIDICULOUS FREEDOM OF SPEECH/FAIR ELECTIONS CASE,” on his Truth Social account. He further elaborated, “EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS, AND SO DOES SHE! WE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY ASKING FOR RECUSAL OF THIS JUDGE ON VERY POWERFUL GROUNDS, AND LIKEWISE FOR VENUE CHANGE, OUT OF D.C.”
Judge Chutkan, who was not present at Trump’s arraignment last Thursday but will preside over the case, is known for her stern treatment of the Trump supporters involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. She is seen as more stringent than Florida federal Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee handling the case accusing Trump of storing top-secret documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. Judge Chutkan, who ex-President Barack Obama appointed, was randomly chosen to preside over Trump’s third criminal indictment.
Recently, the 61-year-old judge dismissed a request from Trump’s lawyers for additional time to answer the Justice Department’s call for a protective order restricting the information he can publicly disclose about the case. Following Trump’s public commentary in which he wrote, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you” in a Truth Social post, prosecutors approached Chutkan with the request to limit his public remarks.
By 5 p.m. ET Monday, his legal team must respond to this request.
Last week, Special Counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump on four counts concerning his efforts to contest the 2020 election. The charges he faces include obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy against rights, and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. He entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment on Thursday.
Unfazed by the proposed protective order, Trump also targeted Smith in his Sunday post. He wrote on Truth Social: “DERANGED JACK SMITH AND OUR HIGHLY PARTISAN, AND VERY CORRUPT, DEPARTMENT OF INJUSTICE, COULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS BIDIN ‘OPPONENT’ CASE YEARS AGO, BUT CHOSE TO WAIT AND BRING IT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY ELECTION CAMPAIGN,” and added, “NO WAY!!! I HOPE YOU ARE WATCHING AMERICA. OUR COUNTRY IS BEING DESTROYED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Trump further criticized having his trial in D.C., citing the city’s strong liberal leanings.
Additionally, Trump faces a 34-count indictment from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg regarding alleged secret payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He is also charged with a separate 40-count federal indictment in Florida regarding classified documents.
Trump maintains his innocence in all allegations.
The next hearing in the 2020 election case, where a trial date is likely to be determined, is scheduled for August 28. This is just five days following the first GOP debate for the 2024 presidential race.
