- Trump Calls for Recusal of Judge in Election Fraud Case
- Trump’s Request for Judge’s Recusal and Case Transfer
- Legal Battles and Multiple Trials Ahead for Former President Trump
Trump plans to ask his election fraud judge to disqualify himself on “very compelling grounds.”
He stated, “There is no way I can get a fair trial” if she does not.
The prosecution requested a court order restricting what he can say publicly about the case, prompting his call.
Former President Barack Obama appointed Tanya Chutkan to the bench.
Trump described the case on his social media platform, Truth Social, as “the ridiculous freedom of speech, slash fair elections case” and stated that his legal team would promptly request the judge’s recusal.
He does not explain his request for her resignation.
In the past, Judge Chutkan has ruled against Mr. Trump’s efforts to conceal evidence from the House January 6 Committee, and in recent days he has been the target of numerous attacks from Trump allies. Mr. Trump characterized her and the Department of Justice (DOJ) as “extremely partisan and corrupt.”
According to NBC News, Judge Chutkan, who was appointed in 2014, is the only federal judge in Washington to have handed down sentences longer than those requested by the DOJ in cases related to the 6 January Capitol disturbance.
The US Department of Justice requires judges whose impartiality is questionable to disqualify themselves.
The judge’s recusal was not the only request Mr. Trump stated he would make. Additionally, he desires that his case be transferred out of Washington.
According to him, it is “impossible for him to receive a fair trial in Washington,” which he characterizes as “anti-Trump.”
On Sunday, Mr. Trump’s attorney, John Lauro, claimed the former president “believed in his heart of hearts” he won 2020.
He told US television networks that Mr. Trump was under attack for exercising his First Amendment right to free speech.
This week, Mr. Trump posted in all capital letters on Truth Social, a day after pleading not guilty to four charges in the alleged election fraud case, “If you go after me, I will go after you!”
The same evening, the prosecutors expressed concern that Mr. Trump might reveal confidential evidence and requested a protective order to prevent “the improper dissemination or use of discovery materials, including by the public.”
The judge gave Mr. Trump’s legal team until Monday at 17:00 local time to respond to the submission. Mr. Trump’s attorneys requested three additional days, but the magistrate denied their request.
Judge Chutkan, a notorious Capitol riot judge, will meet with both parties’ lawyers on August 28 to schedule a trial.
The charges, which include conspiracy to defraud the United States, tampering with a witness, and conspiracy against the rights of citizens, derive from the former president’s actions following the 2020 presidential election, including the 6 January riot at the Capitol.
Over the previous two years, the 61-year-old judge has been known for harshly punishing unrest participants. Judge Chutkan has sentenced all 31 defendants she has heard to prison, according to the Washington Post.
Mr. Trump now faces five imminent trials: three criminal trials, including the case involving classified documents, the hush money case, and these election-related charges; and two civil trials involving business practices and the alleged defamation of a woman who accused him of rape.
