A new report said that security has been increased for the judge who will oversee former President Donald Trump’s trial on charges of conspiracy and obstruction related to the 2020 election.
Without going into detail, CNN reported that more security has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, and deputy U.S. Marshals discussed security options for Chutkan on Monday.
The Marshals Service, which handles security for the court, issued a statement saying it “take[s] that responsibility very seriously.”
“Ensuring that judges can rule independently and free from harm or intimidation is paramount to the rule of law, and a fundamental mission of the USMS,” Marshals Service representative Drew Wade said.
“While we do not discuss our specific security measures, we continuously review the measures in place and take appropriate steps to ensure the integrity of the federal judicial process.”
Trump has taken to social media to protest the charges and upcoming trial.
“Deranged Jack Smith is going before his number one draft pick, the Judge of his ‘dreams’ (WHO MUST BE RECUSED!), in an attempt to take away my FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS — This, despite the fact that he, the DOJ, and his many Thug prosecutors, are illegally leaking, everything and anything, to the Fake News Media!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
That post followed a Sunday post in which Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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.”
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Chutkan has been called tough for her sentencing of Jan. 6 defendants who came before her and also ruled against Trump when he was trying to stop the House’s Jan. 6 committee from getting access to documents.
John Lauro, an attorney representing Trump, said on the subject of seeking a different judge, Trump’s layers have made “no final decision on that issue,” according to The Hill.
“It has to be really looked at with a fine-toothed comb. It raises a lot of issues,” he said.
Trump’s comments concerning his First Amendment rights are part of an ongoing back-and-forth over what’s known as a protective order, which is a legal document that outlines what a defendant in a case can say about the case to the public.
In this case, special counsel Jack Smith’s team is requesting that its terms and conditions be adopted before the discovery phase of the case begins. During that phase, the government is required to share with the defense much of the evidence it has against Trump, so the defense can prepare its case.
The government’s court filing to have its version of a protective order approved noted a social media post from Trump on Friday.
“IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“If the defendant were to begin issuing public posts using details — or, for example, grand jury transcripts — obtained in discovery here, it could have a harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case,” the filing said.
Trump’s legal team said the comment was not aimed at the judge in his election case.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.