Donald Trump launched an attack on the judge overseeing a federal indictment against him calling for her recusal and insisting she is biased. “She obviously wants me behind bars,” he said. As evidence of her alleged bias against him and his supporters, the former President cited Judge Tanya Chutkan’s sentencing of January 6 protestor Christine Priola.
Chutkan sent Ohioan Priola to prison for 15 months, telling her that the “mob” on Capitol Hill was not loyal to the US Constitution but loyal to one man, “who, by the way, remains free to this day.” Trump said this indicates that the judge believes he should be in prison and, therefore, she cannot conduct a fair hearing.
Trump’s comments came only days after the federal judge warned him not to make any “inflammatory” statements and if he does, it will be considered “urgent” to speed up the commencement of his trial.
An Obama appointee, Chutkan insists she will keep politics out of the courtroom and there is no cause for recusal, a sentiment even Trump’s lawyer appears to agree with. John Lauro, the former President’s new attorney, attempted to backtrack on Mr. Trump’s remarks and said it was a statement made with a “layman’s political sense” and referred only to her nomination to the bench by President Obama.
Meanwhile, former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said she sees obvious signs that Donald Trump is frightened for the first time. Psaki, now a host on MSNBC, said Trump’s cancellation of a press conference scheduled for August 14 proves he is running scared.
The former President called the meeting to present what he said was irrefutable truth that the 2020 Presidential election was rigged. Shortly afterward, he posted another message on his Truth Social media account saying he would present the evidence in court and he was canceling the press event on the advice of his lawyers. “It can only really mean one thing: He’s scared,” Psaki said.
