Former President Donald Trump slammed the federal judge assigned to his case over alleged attempts to sway the 2020 election on Sunday, saying his legal team would seek her recusal “on very powerful grounds.”
“There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge ‘assigned’ to the ridiculous freedom of speech/fair elections case. Everybody knows this, and so does she!” Trump posted on Truth Social about Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee who has also been known to hand out some of the harshest sentences for January 6 defendants, often going beyond the prosecutors’ recommendations.
“We will be immediately asking for recusal of this judge on very powerful grounds, and likewise for venue change, out [of] D.C.” Trump said. He also slammed special counsel Jack Smith, calling him “deranged” and arguing he waited too long to bring the matter to trial.
“Deranged Jack Smith… could have brought this [Biden] ‘opponent’ case years ago, but chose to wait and bring it right in the middle of my election campaign. No way!!! I hope you are watching America,” Trump posted.
Trump’s post comes only two days after prosecutors filed an application for a protective order on Friday evening, which would bar Trump from publicly discussing evidence in the case.
Chutkan gave Trump a deadline to react to Smith’s request. Trump’s legal team then requested an extension to file a response to the protection order motion from Monday, Aug. 7 to Aug. 10 to “ensure counsel has adequate time to prepare a fulsome response.”
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELHowever, the judge denied the request on Saturday evening and confirmed the Monday, 5 p.m. deadline.
Trump is also requesting a total venue change based on claims that he would obtain a partial jury, despite the fact that judges in D.C. have repeatedly dismissed other petitions to relocate cases from defendants in the Jan. 6 Capitol protest.
Last Monday, the former president was charged with four federal felonies, including conspiracy to deceive, obstruction, and conspiracy of rights. On Thursday, Trump pled not guilty to all allegations. He has claimed that he did nothing unlawful in connection with the Capitol incident on January 6, and his counsel has stated that the president’s charges of fraudulent activity in the 2020 election were genuine and not “lies,” as prosecutors say.
His post on Truth Social on Sunday morning comes after his lawyer, John Lauro, said the former president did not accept a plea deal. Lauro also stated that Trump’s team intends to file a move to dismiss the charges and that West Virginia would be an “excellent venue to try this case.”
When asked on CBS’s Face The Nation when Trump will be ready for trial, Lauro ignored the question, instead saying, “In 40 years of practicing law, on a case of this magnitude, I’ve not known a single case to go to trial before 2-3 years.”
WATCH:
.@MajorCBS: "Is there any condition under which the former President of the United States, your client, would accept a plea deal on these January 6 charges?"
Trump attorney John Lauro: "No."@MajorCBS: "Will you seek a motion to dismiss?"
Lauro: "Absolutely, 100 percent." pic.twitter.com/lKwqhGoGb7
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 6, 2023
