WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Donald Trump filed a motion on Monday seeking to disqualify U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan from presiding over one of the criminal cases charging him with trying to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss.
Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said last month he planned to seek Chutkan's recusal as well as a change of venue for the case.
Trump argued in a court filing that Chutkan’s prior statements appearing to refer to his role in influencing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters raise questions about her impartiality in the case.
The court filing cites a remark Chutkan made at a 2022 sentencing hearing for a Capitol riot defendant in which she suggested that the rioter was motivated by "blind loyalty to one person who, by the way, remains free to this day," after some defendants argued they thought they were doing what Trump wanted.
Trump’s lawyers argued that the comment indicated the judge’s belief that Trump “should be prosecuted and imprisoned.”
Trump has been charged by U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith with four felony counts for allegedly plotting to subvert the results of the 2020 election. That is one of four criminal cases he faces as he runs for the Republican nomination in 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
"Although Judge Chutkan may genuinely intend to give President Trump a fair trial — and may believe that she can do so — her public statements unavoidably taint these proceedings, regardless of outcome," Trump's lawyers wrote.
Trump has frequently criticized Chutkan on his social media site since she was randomly assigned to preside over the election case in Washington federal court.
Chutkan set a trial date in the case for March 2024 over the objections of Trump and his lawyers, who sought to push the proceeding back to 2026. The judge also previously warned Trump about attempting to influence potential witnesses in the case.
The Washington indictment does not specifically charge Trump for the Jan. 6 attack, but alleges that he exploited the riot in an attempt to delay Congress' certification of his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden.
Chutkan, who was nominated by former Democratic President Barack Obama, ruled against Trump in 2021 in a civil case he brought attempting to shield his White House records from the U.S. House committee that investigated the Capitol attack.
"Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not president," Chutkan wrote in that ruling.
Trump also on Monday sought to dismiss seven of the counts he faces in a separate Georgia case, arguing that he is immune from prosecution for actions he took in his official capacity as president.
Reuters
Tue Sep 12 2023
Donald Trump argued in a court filing that US District Judge Tanya Chutkan's prior statements appearing to refer to his role in influencing the Capitol riot, raise questions about her impartiality in the case. - REUTERS/Filepic
Setiap pemimpin jaga satu kampung, cadangan dibentang pada Kabinet - PM Anwar
Perdana Menteri mencadangkan agar setiap pemimpin di negara ini termasuk perdana menteri dipertanggungjawabkan menjaga sebuah kampung.
Minyak masak peket: Audit di peringkat akhir, ambil kira langkah penambahbaikan - Armizan
Proses audit turut membabitkan penilaian terhadap beberapa langkah penambahbaikan bagi memastikan subsidi sampai ke kumpulan sasaran.
'Saya ikhlas mohon maaf' - Sanusi
Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor memaklumkan beliau ikhlas ketika memohon maaf di hadapan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Minyak sawit: Tiada tolak ansur terhadap produk terbabit kempen boikot - Armizan
KPDN akan menjalankan penguatkuasaan tegas terhadap mana-mana produk yang terbabit dengan kempen tersebut.
Malaysia gesa tindakan tegas akhiri ketegangan Asia Barat dicetus Israel - Mohamad
Malaysia menggesa tindakan lebih tegas dalam menyelesaikan ketegangan di Asia Barat yang berpunca daripada pendudukan haram Israel di Palestin.
Semoga pelaku diberikan petunjuk dan hidayah - Akhyar
Akhyar tidak mahu menyimpan dendam sebaliknya mendoakan agar penyamun yang mencederakannya diberikan petunjuk dan hidayah oleh Allah SWT.
Arab Saudi, Maghribi, Mesir gesa gencatan senjata segera dilaksanakan di Gaza
Arab Saudi, Maghribi dan Mesir menggesa supaya satu gencatan senjata segera dilaksanakan di Gaza yang diserang secara berterusan oleh Israel.
OIC digesa tumpu noktahkan kemiskinan, pembangunan sosioekonomi saksama - Mohamad
Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam (OIC) perlu beri tumpuan kepada usaha menoktahkan kemiskinan dan pembangunan sosioekonomi demi mencapai Agenda Pembangunan Mampan 2030.
AWANI Ringkas: Media Malaysia tidak bincang isu sensitif
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Dirogol sejak usia 12 tahun, KPWKM akan nilai kemampuan mangsa uruskan anak - Nancy
KPWKM akan menilai kemampuan wanita yang dilaporkan menjadi mangsa rogol bapa kandungnya dalam menguruskan anak yang dilahirkan.
Biden rancang untuk berdebat dengan Trump
Sebelum ini, Biden tidak komited untuk berdebat dengan lawannya, Trump.
Lelaki bertindak bakar diri di luar mahkamah New York
Max Azzarello yang berasal dari St. Augustine, Florida, dilaporkan telah diselamatkan dan berada dalam keadaan kritikal.
7 juri dipilih dalam bicara kes wang sogok yang dihadapi Trump
Tujuh juri dipilih dalam perbicaraan kes wang sogok Donald Trump di New York, perbicaraan jenayah pertama terhadap bekas presiden Amerika Syarikat.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Perbicaraan skandal Donald Trump - bintang porno bermula
Donald Trump menjadi bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat pertama yang menghadapi perbicaraan kes jenayah.
Bicara kes bayaran tutup mulut yang dihadapi Trump bermula dengan pemilihan juri
Donald Trump akan menjadi bekas presiden pertama dalam sejarah Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang dibicarakan atas tuduhan jenayah.
Trump gagal tangguh, perbicaraan tetap berlangsung 15 April ini
Ini merupakan kali pertama bekas Presiden AS dibicarakan melibatkan bayaran menutup mulut kepada seorang bintang filem lucah.
Biden menang pemilihan peringkat awal di Dakota Utara
Dalam pemilihan peringkat awal di Dakota Utara, terdapat 13 perwakilan ditawarkan dan kebanyakan pengundian dilakukan melalui undi pos.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Perbicaraan Donald Trump bermula 15 April
Ini merupakan kali pertama bekas Presiden AS dibicarakan melibatkan bayaran menutup mulut kepada seorang bintang filem lucah.