CNN reporters noted beefed-up security for Federal District Judge Tanya Chutkan: and connected it to social media attacks by ex-President Donald Trump.
After Special Counsel Jack Smith reacted to a Trump Truth social post — which said “If you go after me, I’m coming after you” — by filing a request for a protective order, Trump responded by ramping up his social media attacks to include an all-caps attack on the judge. Trump wrote:
“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! WE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY ASKING FOR RECUSAL OF THIS JUDGE ON VERY POWERFUL GROUNDS, AND LIKEWISE FOR VENUE CHANGE, OUT IF D.C.
On Monday’s edition of CNN’s The Situation Room, CNN correspondent Paula Reid reported CNN has noted increased security for the judge since Trump’s post:
REID: And today, CNN observing additional security for Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan. She’s the one overseeing the January 6th prosecution of former President Trump. And this comes after Trump posted about her on social media, suggesting that he won’t be able to get a fair trial if she’s the one overseeing the case.
Now, Wolf, she is also, of course, be the one who will decide on this protective order, and it’s unclear when her decision on that will come down.
Anchor Wolf Blitzer asked legal analyst Elliott Williams how the situation might affect Judge Chutkan’s rulings:
BLITZER: Elliot, it appears the security around the federal judge in this case has increased dramatically following Trump’s repeated attacks against her. Does that indicate to you how she might be likely to rule on all these sensitive issues?
WILLIAMS: No, I don’t think so. Look, judges don’t have security under normal circumstances.
They can get it if there’s some reason, if they’ve been threatened in some way. I work for two different federal judges. They like to sort of put that stuff aside and try to rule to the extent they can on the facts and the law. And I would hope and think that’s what the judge would do.
BLITZER: Yes, I suspect she will rule on the facts and the law.
Watch above via CNN’s The Situation Room.
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