‘No way I can get a fair trial,’ Trump said
Former President Donald Trump has called for the recusal of the judge assigned to his case related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach, in which he’s accused of multiple felonies in connection with his challenges to the 2020 presidential election.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a former assistant public defender who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, has been assigned to preside over Mr. Trump’s case.
In that case, Mr. Trump has been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding—the certification of the electoral vote—and conspiracy against the rights of citizens.
Mr. Trump maintains his innocence and has pleaded not guilty.
Judge Chutkan on Aug. 5 issued a ruling against Mr. Trump, giving his legal team less time than requested to respond to a proposal by prosecutors for the judge to issue a protective order limiting what information Mr. Trump can share publicly about the case.
Apparently in response to the unfavorable ruling by Judge Chutkan, the former president on Aug. 6 took to social media to demand her recusal.
“There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge ‘assigned’ to the ridiculous freedom of speech/fair elections case,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“Everybody knows this, and so does she! We will be immediately asking for a recusal of this judge on very powerful grounds, and likewise for venue change, out [of] D.C.”
He has previously raised concerns about not being able to get a fair trial in Washington.
Mr. Trump, who’s the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential election, has repeatedly characterized the numerous investigations against him as election interference meant to thwart his bid for the White House.
After being assigned to the case, Judge Chutkan made headlines for having issued tough sentences in cases relating to the Capitol breach. Reports indicate that in nine of her 31 such cases, she issued tougher penalties than prosecutors recommended.
By Tom Ozimek
